[Terrapreta] a philosophy for TP conversation.

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Jim

jim mason wrote:
> volume is as much an issue as topic.
>   

To misquote Dean Martin slightly, "Keep them posts and letters coming"!
1: They are "on topic" and relevant to Terra Preta.
2: People are learning how to make char
3: Your meaty posts raise the Signal to Noise ratio.
> if the high volume (number) posters do not self censure their volume,
> the list becomes overwhelming and people stop reading.  then the rest
> of us are left reading only the high volume posters, ad nauseum,
> saying things we mostly already know they have to say.
>
> this severely impoverishes a list.  quality of discussion declines.
> quality members that cannot follow every microbe of discussion just
> give up.
>   

Neat observation!! I think you have just formed the core concept of 
"Mason's Internet List Law", that would go something like this:
"When the Signal to Noise Ratio decreases to a given level because of 
increased Noise from Low Quality posters, the Quality posters who submit 
the Signal Posts get frustrated and leave to join similar Lists 
elsewhere. This will lead to a cascade effect, as the Signal to Noise 
Ratio increases further because of the decreasing input of Quality posts.
> off topic complaints usually mean the volume of particular individuals
> is too high, and someone is being nice trying to not single out the
> offenders.
>
> i am guilty of this sin on other lists and progressively try to
> moderate myself (to varying success, of course).
>   

Nobody has any valid basis for complaining about your "recent rash of 
postings".
1: You are actually doing something relevant to the objectives of the list.
2: You are kind enough to share your knowledge with the List
3: We are learning from your postings.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the List Villains, I  propose that 
we ALL become List Policemen  as follows:

BEFORE we make a Posting to the Terra Preta List, we each ask ourselves 
the following questions:

1: If I submit this posting, will  it help  toward meeting the List 
Objectives?
2: If I don't submit this posting, will it retard attainment of List 
Objectives?

If we don't get at least one "Yes", then we should, not submit the posting.

Do you think that would help increase the Signal to Noise Ratio, and 
help retain Quality Members?

Best wishes,

Kevin


> j
>
>
>
>
> On Sun, May 25, 2008 at 10:26 AM, Sean K. Barry <sean.barry at juno.com> wrote:
>   
>> Hello TP readers,
>>
>> Of late there has been some discourse on this E-MAIL list about what is and
>> what is not appropriate to talk about in the open forum.  Saying this
>> amounts to a "topic police" has been met, also, with claims that we should
>> shut up about that.
>>
>> Now, I would like to suggest that everyone is free to choose to read or not
>> read whatever they like.  Likewise, I think that it would be unproductive to
>> force a "(what this) means test" for anyone to submit a posting here.  So
>> what if a posting is "off-topic" for the 'terrapretalist's three approved
>> and sanctioned topical headings; 1) TP for agriculture, 2) TP for carbon
>> sequestration, 3) making charcoal for use in TP?  So what, if thinking about
>> TP and all it implies brings to mind some idea that is not at the front of
>> the in the mind of some one else on the list?  Creative thought, at least in
>> my world, often times takes a lateral approach in thinking (aka off-topic).
>>
>> So, I think we should welcome any comments, even "off-topic" ones.  If they
>> are of interest inside the group anyone interested can continue the thread
>> and talk about it, in the public forum.  The ones not interested can IGNORE
>> it.  If it is not an interesting "off-topic" thread, then it can and will
>> likely "die out", an uninteresting thread.
>>
>> But, stomping on ANYONE for making mention of a topic that is not deemed
>> pertinent to the topic of TP is wholly a SUBJECTIVE action, possibly
>> insulting, and probably resulting in erosion of membership.   I think this
>> is true unless we want an unending series of posts like, "YOU SHUT UP", NO
>> YOU SHUT UP!", "YOU SOB, WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME TO SHUT UP WHEN I TOLD YOU
>> TO SHUT UP!!!"
>>
>> ...king "off topic" this for a while people
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> SKB
>>     
>
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