<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content=Word.Document name=ProgId> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <META content="Microsoft Word 9" name=Originator><LINK href="cid:filelist.xml@01C43281.74065AC0" rel=File-List> <STYLE>@font-face { font-family: Comic Sans MS; } @page Section1 {size: 8.5in 11.0in; margin: 1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; = mso-header-margin: .5in; mso-footer-margin: .5in; mso-paper-source: 0; } P.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; = mso-style-parent: ""; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; = mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman" } LI.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; = mso-style-parent: ""; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; = mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman" } DIV.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; = mso-style-parent: ""; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; = mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman" } P.MsoAutoSig { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; = mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman" } LI.MsoAutoSig { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; = mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman" } DIV.MsoAutoSig { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; = mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman" } PRE { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Courier New"; = mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New"; = mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman" } SPAN.EmailStyle15 { COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-style-type: = personal-compose; mso-ansi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: = Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial } DIV.Section1 { page: Section1 } </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US style="tab-interval: .5in" bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>I think that is what Dean is saying here, "If it ain't broke, don't = fix it.". And that's a fine saying for an old washing machine. It sits = there doing the laundry, but each time it looses itself in a spin cycle and = causes someone to rush in a turn it off to reset the load. It not however a = fine saying for an often abused professional list</DIV> <DIV>that could and can be a lot better. There are many individuals that = tune in and read the list for a while, then tune out when then note the heavy = traffic and the cat/dog</DIV> <DIV>fights that go on. How many people in your chapter read the list? I = know of at least 6 in ours that do not and the above reason plays a big part in = why they tune out. </DIV> <DIV>Having those individuals on board could only make the content and professional grade of this list better. We will increase our experience = factor by ten-fold. I've been in and out of the list over the last five years = and from what I've read using OT ain't going to change it. By the way light = batter, a joke thrown in, can be fine. Newton was famous for that. Don't we miss = him? Yes. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I belong to several writers group that run similar list.  The = have a moderator, he/she doesn't show up until the heavy OT happens. They pass = warnings and then by gosh they act! Good bye. The problem we have is that some = individual thrive on the stuff. I'm guilty of  having times that I could = hardly wait for the secondary shelling that I knew was about to happen. I've = stopped, hopefully getting into the political/religion threads. No one can win on = those, not the place for it. So to wind up here, It's broke! Fine leave it be. = I'm looking forward to the new approach, a new professional moderated list!  </DIV> <DIV>Richard Snelson <A href="mailto:rsnelson0984@mchsi.com">rsnelson0984@mchsi.com</A></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black">From: <A title=deanmay@pianorebuilders.com href="mailto:deanmay@pianorebuilders.com">Dean May</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">To: <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2004 = 9:15 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: on topic about off = topic</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV class=Section1> Posted to the list back in February:<o:p></o:p> no more Northwestern organ majors<o:p></o:p><PRE>I see in the Trib today that = Northwestern University has cancelled its organ music program due to = lack of interest. No organ majors have enrolled in the school since = 2000. Presently enrolled organ majors can finish their degree, but = that's it.<o:p></o:p></PRE><PRE><![if = !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></PRE><PRE>Just thought somebody might be = interested in this.<o:p></o:p></PRE> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> It is interesting to go back = through the archives. The above post came from an individual who has recently been = complaining loudly, peppered with angry marks, about the necessity of = keeping discussions on the topic of pianos and only pianos. Obviously there is = no reference to pianos above. In fact, browsing through the archives, he = often complains loudly about OT posts, sometimes having 3 or 4 angry and = loud OT posts in any given OT thread.<o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> The problem is not OT posts, = it is the loud and angry posts about OT posts. They make it miserable for = everyone. Most everyone makes OT posts, even those who complain about it. I pointed = out to a different complainer that for the month of April his OT posts = outnumbered mine by an 8 to 1 margin. But he sure likes to complain about certain OT = posts with loud (all caps) text and profuse exclamation points. = <o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> OT posts are inevitable, and = even desirable. They give us insights into the lives of our fellow techs, = many of whom are really smart and know fascinating tidbits on a whole range of = subjects. Without OT posts I wouldn�t have found the patch to make = my laptop�s LCD screen sharper, I wouldn�t know Ric Benke is a fellow dark beer = lover, I wouldn�t know that Sarah thinks about deep issues that most of us = allow our opinions to shaped by others around us on,  and some of you wouldn�t = have Avery Todd�s BBQ recipe. <o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> There is no need for the list = to be moderated. Who has time and what criteria would be used? Would the = above organ post have made it through? Would Avery Todd�s BBQ recipe have made = it? Would those with secret handshake be given more leeway?   ;-)   (sorry, I couldn�t resist)<o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> Nearly every mail handler that = I am aware of has filtering capability. Just set up a rule to filter out OT = (case sensitive) or �off topic� to the deleted folder. You could even = move them to a different temporary folder if you wanted to briefly scan them for = whatever reason. For anyone who �hates� off topic posts this is a very easy = thing to do. If you use Microsoft Outlook I�d be happy to walk you through = how to do it. If you use something else, I�m sure someone else on this list = could help you with it. <o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> The only thing is we would = have to remember to put OT in the subject line, which most people are pretty = good about doing, but sometimes even those who complain when it doesn�t = show up forget, as in the above organ post. Reminders may need to be issued periodically. No big deal. <o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> Let�s extend a little grace = and tolerance to one another here. I think we can do it without an act of Congress. <o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> Blessings,<o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> <B= >Dean<o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p> Dean May             cell 812.239.3359<o:p></o:p> PianoRebuilders.com   = 812.235.5272<o:p></o:p> Terre Haute IN  47802<o:p></o:p> <![if = !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> <o:p></o:p></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML= >