advocate toleration

I would like to advocate toleration for the different ways people
post messages on this list.

Some people can write in nice, polite English sentences, and there
are some people... more the "math heads" on this list who write great
math abstractions and can hardly spell or write a f...ing thing. So
what.

Everybody has a different approach, and INSISTING that somebody do
this or that format or write with capitalized sentences just turns
people off... both the "old timers" and, possibly, people who are
just "lurking" and not posting.

It may even cause people to leave this list... although I would not
like to predict that this will be the case... :)

Watch. I am even going to write a sentence without a capital letter
and with a mistake! Whoooo, whooo, whooo.

hi ther

See, I did it...

_______ _____ _____ _
Joseph Pehrson

kuhle jo
glad your're not fuct
true dat

Pat Pagano, Director
South East Just Intonation Society
http://indians.australians.com/meherbaba/
http://www.screwmusicforever.com/SHREESWIFT/
----- Original Message -----
From: <jpehrson@rcn.com>
To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2001 9:34 PM
Subject: [tuning] advocate toleration

> I would like to advocate toleration for the different ways people
> post messages on this list.
>
> Some people can write in nice, polite English sentences, and there
> are some people... more the "math heads" on this list who write great
> math abstractions and can hardly spell or write a f...ing thing. So
> what.
>
> Everybody has a different approach, and INSISTING that somebody do
> this or that format or write with capitalized sentences just turns
> people off... both the "old timers" and, possibly, people who are
> just "lurking" and not posting.
>
> It may even cause people to leave this list... although I would not
> like to predict that this will be the case... :)
>
> Watch. I am even going to write a sentence without a capital letter
> and with a mistake! Whoooo, whooo, whooo.
>
> hi ther
>
> See, I did it...
>
> _______ _____ _____ _
> Joseph Pehrson
>
>
>
>
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>
>

Joe,

--- In tuning@y..., jpehrson@r... wrote:
> I would like to advocate toleration for the different ways people
> post messages on this list.

Tolerance of variety is not a problem. Seeing a common communication
medium misused, misunderstood, or lazily applied can be a waste of
other's time.

> some people... more the "math heads" on this list who write great
> math abstractions and can hardly spell or write a thing. So
> what.

So what?? If they can't take the time to write carefully and clearly,
why should I take the time to try and figure out what their thoughts
are? There are a myriad of ways to post on this, or any list. Casual
thoughts are welcome, as are more intense and worked-out posts. If
someone is trying to make a detailed point, or present compelling
evidence, I *expect* that they will use care and craft in posting
their message. If they don't, it must not be very important.

> Everybody has a different approach, and INSISTING that somebody do
> this or that format or write with capitalized sentences just turns
> people off... both the "old timers" and, possibly, people who are
> just "lurking" and not posting.

There is room for individualism, but there is also a general
consensus on how to post to a mailing list. With such a constrained
medium, and with only ascii text to represent your thoughts, *how*
you do that is very important. Historically speaking, all caps are
used in the most IMPORTANT and ASSERTIVE circumstances. If they are
used constantly, their value is lessened, just as someone who
constantly shouts is quickly ignored.

As for turning people off, I'll just say that a number of people have
written me off-list, some as they leave, about the chattiness, sloppy
posting habits, and the sometimes low signal-to-noise ratio. While I
value much of what is said here, in contrast to the four other
mailing lists I belong to, I have to agree.

> It may even cause people to leave this list... although I would not
> like to predict that this will be the case... :)

Many things will cause people to leave, many to cause joining. A list
that presents itself in clear and effective communication is one
*I'd* enjoy reading.

> Watch. I am even going to write a sentence without a capital
letter
> and with a mistake! Whoooo, whooo, whooo.
>
> hi ther
>
> See, I did it...

I'm sure this was done in fun, and to make a point. If there was
someone just new to the list, what do you think they would make of
it? Assuming every post one makes to the list is read, what kind of
impression do you want to leave?

Regards,
Jon

--- In tuning@y..., "shreeswifty" <ppagano@b...> wrote:

/tuning/topicId_19429.html#19435

> kuhle jo
> glad your're not fuct
> true dat
>

Thanks, Swifty, and I'm happy to see that you agree with my use of
language and a little "fun" from time to time on the list!
________ ____ _____ ____
Joseph Pehrson