FAQ's, Lurkers, and unsub

TRYG HELSETH TRYG.HELSETH at tstation.mn.org
Sat Apr 23 05:32:16 CEST 1994


Helge J. Bjornhaug (slash that o, please) Writes:

HB>I've been lurking here since last summer, and this is my first
HB>posting. I'm not at all intimitated by any of our experts, and I see
HB>no reason to unsubscribe just because I don't contribute. Like Tryg
HB>did at first, I haven't contributed because I haven't had anything
HB>relevant to add, especially when I have to add it in English, and my
HB>sources (read: Disney comics) are not located where my computer
HB>access is.

Helge, I guessed that having the added burden of translating to English
would deter many people from posting.  Translating to another language
would certainly limit the posting I do.  I find it ironic that this list
is in English since it seems that for most of the participants, English
is a second (or third) language.

HB>But I'll be back.

Great!

Torsten Adair writes:

TA>I joined this list because I am interested in all aspects of
TA>comicbooks and comicstrips.  I'll be the first to admit that I know
TA>very little about Disney Comics, but if one asks questions and
TA>listens, one can learn quite a lot.

I won't argue with that--I certainly have learned quite a bit from just
reading the messages.

TA>Some might just be bored about the content of this group.  I've
TA>subscribed to many newsgroups, read them, then decided they weren't
TA>what I expected them to be.

That is true. I've done the same with various news groups / conferences.
Some are of no interest, others are far too busy and the volume of
messages makes them too difficult to follow.  Still, I believe there are
people who drop out for other reasons beyond lack of interest.

TA>I am never intimidated by the experts, or else I wouldn't ask
TA>questions.

I guess I am, but I'm foolish enough to ask anyway... :)

TA>The First Rule of Meeting Famous People is to realize that they are
TA>human beings too, and that most celebrities like to meet people.
TA>Just treat them with respect.

George Bernard Shaw had a list of Laws including one that warned you to
never meet an author in person as the only thing tolerable about them is
their writings.  As I see it, the problem is that we build up images
of what celebrities are like which have little basis in fact.  Of course
the celebrities could never meet the expectations we set for them.  (Nor
should they.)

TA>esoteric or stupid my question is (e.g. Scrooge's Net Worth), I'll
TA>get at least one answer, and a usually accurate one at that.  It
TA>still boggles my mind how much people know about Disney comics.

Agreed.

TA>Every organization needs to seduce, er, RECRUIT new members, or else
TA>it tends to collapse upon itself.  Thankfully, with new students
TA>joining the Internet each year, we shouldn't have that problem.

Certainly there will always be attrition in any group and new recruits
are always needed.  The problem I've seen with many organizations is
that while newcomers are greeted with warm welcomes, they are soon
ignored and the other members return to the comfort of their familiar
friends.  I think this is the crucial point of recruitment--beyond
getting someone to join, you have to expend some effort to bring them
into the group if you expect to keep them around for a while.

Tryg

Internet  tryg.helseth at tstation.mn.org
      or  trygve at maroon.tc.umn.edu

 * QMPro 1.51 * Maybe I'm happy; maybe I'm sad; maybe I'm a little mad!




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