[CAUT] Two CAUT lists

[Fred Sturm]

The new format definitely has its pluses and minuses. The biggest  
minus so far is slow server response, many instances (very high  
proportion) of "waiting for my.ptg" or "processing," sometimes with no  
result at all until I stop by hitting escape and re-send. Then, often  
but no always, whatever it was happens instantly. So there are bugs.  
And like any system of this sort, it takes a while to get used to the  
navigation, which is often frustrating (no easy path to where you want  
to go, or too many steps).
	But mostly I am tending to look at the pluses. One of the biggest is  
the ability to create new specialized discussion groups, which can  
have libraries (files can be uploaded and are searchable) and which  
will have archives. I have created three: voicing, harpsichord, and  
piano history. I'm sure there will be more, and I may create more  
myself. It is pretty easy: click on "add a discussion" in a couple of  
places where that option appears. Then you need to give it a title, a  
description, and configure it as to who can read or post, whether it  
has a library. I am afraid I didn't pay enough attention to that step  
for voicing and harpsichord, and I believe I set them so that only PTG  
members may post, rather than that "authenticated" (ie, anyone who  
sets up a profile) may post. And I see no way to edit those options  
once the group has been formed (I am sure an administrator can do it,  
and have made that request). So I give that caution: pay attention to  
those details. BTW, private groups can be created as well.
	I think this is an excellent step in a good direction. It will not be  
necessary to subscribe to one or two rather general lists to take  
advantage of shared knowledge and experience. Instead, we can  
subscribe only to those topics that interest us most, view any other  
topic in its archives or search them. We can upload files of various  
sorts, which will then be available in a library, searchable (assuming  
we give good file names and descriptions). All of this means less of  
the "noise" involved in doing all these things on an ephemeral list. A  
down side may be less immediate social interaction with friends and  
colleagues, but those opportunities will exist as well, through  
various contacts and blogs and whatnot.


Regards,
Fred Sturm
fssturm at unm.edu
"Since everything is in our heads, we had better not lose them." Coco  
Chanel