How about email? (was Re: New list please)

From: Steve Judd (sjudd_at_ffd2.com)
Date: 2001-05-11 18:01:26

Hola,

On Fri, 11 May 2001, Richard Atkinson wrote:

> On Fri, 11 May 2001, Ruud Baltissen wrote:
> 
> > > It is becoming
> > > increasingly difficult to filter through all the posts.....
> >
> > Once a while there are postings which don't interest me. But having seen
> > many lists, this is the only one I realy feel home.
> 
> I agree, about the cbm-hackers of old. However, the nature of the list has
> changed somewhat in recent months. There are many more Americans here now,
> who talk about expensive peripherals and what they would like to see in
> new designs and how much they'd be prepared to pay for it, but very little

Many more?  I count two, maybe three.  Plus maybe two or three Europeans.

I also count several Americans (and Canadians :) who have been noticably
silent on such topics, along with several Europeans.

So, why all the anti-American sentiment?  I'm not the only guy who's
noticed an increase in the last few years.  It's not healthy.

> > No offence meant, but what are you missing?
> 
> It's still here, just much lower volume than the Ellsworth stuff. And it's

My recollection of the old days was that there were no posts at all, and
then occasionally a handful each year, and then in the late 90s things
finally picked up (probably as comp.sys.cbm went downhill, around 98).
cbm-hackers is a growing, or more accurately evolving, thing.

I hardly speak for the list, but my own view of cbm-hackers has been that
it is a place for experienced, technically-minded Commodore folks to hang
out, to exchange information but also to stay in contact, to learn about
other people's projects.  That's the spirit that I value, as opposed to
the actual discussion topics (which, as a software guy, are completely 
over my head these days).

The current situation is interesting.  I first notice that the people
complaining right now -- you and me, for example! -- are people who really
haven't contributed much to the list lately.  Without projects of our own,
and without helping others, we are users, not contributors, which makes me
feel a little awkward.  (But since I'm used to feeling awkward, I will
continue).

Second, I almost think I detect some hostility towards Jeri's work, as if
building a memory expansion or hardware interface is OK, but designing a
graphics board, and an entire new C64, doesn't count.  Does anyone here
have the knowledge, experience, and discipline to do these projects?  Does
anyone here want to see that knowledge and experience go elsewhere?

Third, it seems to me that if _I_ were building a new piece of hardware,
for technical types to use, I know exactly where I'd go to ask for input
and suggestions: cbm-hackers.

So, it seems to me that we have the biggest and most knowledgable
contributor _ever_, coming to the one reasonable place to get suggestions,
and some of us are trying to discourage this.  This doesn't seem wise.

It seems to me that what is objectionable is the comp.sys.cbm style of
perhaps nonserious dreaming or 'image' promotion.  The solution seems
quite obvious: redirect such activity to email.

So, may I humbly suggest that people _email_ their j-board suggestions to
Jeri directly, instead of to the list?

And welcome technical discussions.

And go make a banana smoothie, take a break from email, and relax :).

Humbly,

-Steve

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