Hi Brian:
Nicely written and from the heart! As a 'newbie' I can confirm that I
already have gotten the sensibility that you allude to, this is a great list
as it does have character and characters. I've had some fun and learned a
lot, perhaps most importantly, my desire to get out and photograph has been
increased.
Thanks Gord
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Swale" <bj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 1:06 AM
Subject: [OM] ( OM ) postings to the group (ends up long !! Be warned. )
> Hi all,
>
> For what they're worth, here are my thoughts on the matter.
>
> Actually, I don't at all mind OT talk.
> I *do* take exception to undeserved disrespectful and/or downright rude
> comment and remarks.
> I also get pretty weary of what Mike from the Island complained about
during
> this last week; people hitting the *reply* button and failing to edit out
endless
> signature lines and screeds of reply text that we have already seen 5 and
6
> times or more, already.
>
> HTML posting is a pain, but most people now take the trouble to cut it out
> and I really like that.
>
> And we all sometimes make mistakes.
>
> I take part in some other groups, and I find most of them pretty dry and
> tending more or less to the plain dull side of the spectrum. Some to a
degree
> that I also find rude; for example in a certain scanner group, a little
while ago
> a newbie asked politely for some defined on-topic information. One of the
> *senior* members bluntly told him to RTFM (Read the flaming manual) in
this
> case, plough through the archives, assuming he knew how to do that (the
> senior didn't ask if he knew, or explained how to). I made a mild protest,
> saying that it had not been a very friendly and welcoming response.
>
> Guess what. A week later some other newbie made a request in the same
> style. This time another *senior* member very politely told him to RTFM.
> So I had got through; but not as I had intended {;-( Groan.
>
> Guess also what? That group has none of the camaraderie that this one
> has, and I'll bet there are few if any friendships that have developed as
a
> result of other shared interests in addition to the scanner. Not like this
group.
>
> Yes, we have ( especially those of you who have been in this group for
ages)
> discussed OMs and Zuikos and all their quirks, inside out and back to
front.
> So there's some repetition, over time.
>
> But that does no harm at all for the newer members, and we get new
> members all the time; if there is repetition. And I certainly need my
memory
> jogged sometimes.
>
> I like the back-chat and the revealing of other interests. It has helped
me get
> to know many of us, also through off-list letters. I have enjoyed meeting
list-
> members visiting my home city, and clearly many of you have enjoyed group
> meetings in Germany, Australia, UK, USA and where-else I do not know.
> Rightly or wrongly, I feel I now have a group of friends all over the
world
> whose friendship I value and which matters to me.
>
> The exhibitions and sometimes exchanges (eg TOPE, Bob Gries' summer
> and winter solstice exchanges), and people putting up web-sites for group
> viewing and comment all add to this feeling of community.
>
> I know my interest in my OMs ( I once had two) has grown and been
> maintained enormously as a result of being here, and I like to think I
have
> developed improved photography skills as a result also. Not to mention the
> enabling !!
>
> Other benefits too; I have just this week received back from Melbourne my
> little XA, brought beautifully back to life by a list-member, Robert Kan.
To me
> this is not merely a matter of commerce; every time I pick it up I now
think of
> the friend who gave it new life.
>
> So. I don't know where this group is headed, but I do know I'd hate it
to
> become a dry, matter-of-fact On-Topic only group. If that happens, the
group
> will shrivel to a mere nothing. The sparks of friendship that give it
vitality will
> dwindle greatly. I think that to use some discretion in what is posted,
and to
> quit bad-mouthing other people, should work wonders to the quality of OM
> group life. Sometimes it is better to just say nothing.
>
> Brian
>
> < This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
> < For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
> < Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
>
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|