Date:  Mon, 8 Dec 1997 06:50:43 -0800
From:  "Thomas L. Clark" <tlc[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]NEVADA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Posts from non-professionals

On Sun, 16 Nov 1997, Bethany K. Dumas wrote:

> I have just been informed that many recent posts are from students, not
> professionals. In future, I will try to refrain from posting evaluative
> comments about remarks from posters whom I do not know personally or
> professionally.
>
> Bethany

Bethany hits the nail on the head, in a manner of speaking. I have been
meaning for some time to send this memo to colleagues who know me. I have
set my ADS-L to nomail on a regular basis when I am busy. I simply don't
have the time to go through dozens of messages from people who have
dropped in to enjoy funny stuff about dialect speakers. Most of their
comments and questions would be taken care of if they took a course from
any of the professionals on the list.

When I do set to ADS-L mail, I tend to look only at those message from
professionals, members of ADS and people who have published in the field.
But getting 80 to 100 messages in a couple of days, eighty percent of
which needn't have been written if people were knowledgeable even a little
bit, simply is too time consuming when I have many things I need to catch
up on.

Perhaps the answer would be to go to a moderated group for the
professionals, then have an open forum for general discussion on a
separate track. I have seen this done with humor groups: one is moderated
and sends out few, but significant items. The other is open to whoever
feels the urge to contribute.

Just a thought. Now that the semester is winding down, I will set ADS-L
to mail once more, to see if there is any sentiment for such a proposal.

Yes, I expect to receive flames from some, but I have a delete button.

Cheers,

Thomas L. Clark
tlc[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]nevada.edu