> > It would appear that this list is
> > becoming just a question service. By that I mean people ask a
> > question of the list, then arrange the answers to go back to the
> > originator and not to the list as a whole.
Actually, this behaviour is quite proper etiquette -- and de rigeur
-- especially on larger lists than this.
Since this is a free medium, I expect that some will continue to
post junk, some will ask for direct answers, some will try to tell
everyone else to do, and most will continue to ignore them :)
I trust most of us have read and re-read the netiquette articles on
list and USENET writing and behaviour that were developed in the
early history of this medium and try to keep fairly close to them.
When polite people request answers to questions they feel are
potentially not of interest to the list, they typically say "Will
summarize" at the end of the request. That means that they will read
the responses and send one summary of all the answers to the list,
thus reducing traffic.
In that vein, I must point out that if you see a question posted that
interests you, you are entirely within your rights to write the author
and ask to share any responses. It's also a good way to make friends.
But I suspect that if you see a question posted that does not
receive an answer, it is simply because no one answers. I have sure
seen some very trivial and personal responses go to the list lately,
and assume that they were intended for email and got sent to the
wrong place. This happens. In fact, I think I sent one aimed at
afellow who had sent me some info. I thanked *everyone* (Ooops!)
(For a number of reason(s) BEE-L never seems to grow much.
Ironically , one of the reasons that many give for leaving the list
is the amount of 'chatter' that gets going periodically. Others
tire of the same basic questions arising repeatedly. Some get their
feelings or sensitivities hurt when controversy or bad manners break
out).
It is clear case of not being able to please all the people all the
time. Personally, I think it is unreasonable to expect to do so, and
I don't try.
---------------------------------
Actually, since this topic (summaries) has come up, I admit I have
been feeling a bit guilty because I owe the list a two summaries:
One on the question of disease and beekeepers, and the other on the
question of oils for mite control.
I have received input on both and have not yet summarized -- partly
because an ISP went down in the midst and the articles are scattered
over several disks. (no excuse, I know!)
Anyhow, on the cancer matter, all I can say in the meantime is that
i got replies that show that serious beekeepers *can* get serious
diseases -- just like the rest of the population.
And as far as the essential oils thing, I doubt I will be able to
summarise it fairly, since all the info I got has spread like
wildfire -- right or wrong -- over the net and beekeeping
newsletters. All I can say id I hope it really does work, because an
uncritical beekeeping public has swallowed the idea whole.
Regards
Allen
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>
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