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On 02/09/2011 04:24 PM, Brad Morgan wrote:
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<p class="MsoPlainText">> The announcement and job lists will
be restored. There are no plans to<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">> restore the other mailing lists.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: black;">Can someone
please explain to me the differences between one list with
tags and multiple lists without tags?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: black;">One reason I
can come up with is that maintaining one subscription list
is easier than maintaining multiple lists, but the lists are
"maintained" by the mailman software, correct? Isn't that
software designed to handle a large number of mailing lists
with minimal human intervention?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: black;">I am looking
for a technical discussion. If specific reasons why CLUE
started this debate are added, please keep them technical
and civil :-)</span></p>
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Depending on the software, there is several issues between multiple
lists, and tags:<br>
<br>
Issue one, multiple lists cause the user to have to maintain
multiple user lists. This is mostly automatic, but admin are
required to clean lists, and do other maintenance from time to time.<br>
<br>
Issue two, multiple lists are often confusing to many users. Which
list should I be on, which lists are available, etc. One list means
the answer is easy, this one. We use tags to separate content.<br>
<br>
Issue three, people forget to tag, or use the wrong tags, causing
filters not to work. When this happens, people get annoyed by
getting messages they did not intend. Also, new users to the list,
are often the most confused, and many will post in ways that bypass
the filters. Spammers that get onto the one list, instantly hit a
much larger audience, making your list a bigger target. Multiple
list means more work for the spammer for a smaller audience, often
causing them to move on. Spammers are about volume. (The spammers
could be their own issue, but I fit it in here).<br>
<br>
Issue three, when there are multiple lists, it is easier for someone
to be segmented off to get only the content that they want. The
problems in issue three are not inherent. It tends to make
conversations much more focused, well at least in theory. I tend to
find that while separate lists do tend to stray off course, it is
not as often as with single lists. I watched a thread in the PLUG
group go all heywire after the Tuscon shootings. They only maintain
one group, and it was very difficult to get everyone back on point.
Multiple lists if properly designed are much better about that.<br>
<br>
The technical issues are small, unless the list is moderated. A
moderated list, will almost always be separate list, so that
multiple moderators can take up individual topics. But when there
is only one, person doing all of this, it is easier for there to be
one list. From a technological side, there really is no big
advantage one way or another to the end user.<br>
<br>
CLUE has had a decrease in people stepping up to the plate. I have
been as guilty as anyone. As fewer and fewer people are doing the
work, it is easier on them to have everything in one place.<br>
<br>
That is the real issue.<br>
<br>
Kevin<br>
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