I like the diversity of groups that interact on BEE-L.  Beekeeping is
really unlike any other form of agriculture in terms of the diversity of
folks it draws in.  We have a unique combination of nerdy researchers,
confused hobbyists, and honey barons (and baronesses) that meet on the
same list.  I would miss losing any one group by exclusion.  Further, I
don't think a reduction in traffic will encourage any group to make more
posts.  Personally if a thread starts to get tedious (for example if the
same subject line appears repeatedly in my inbox over a couple of days -
and I feel the topic has been hit over the head) i'll just begin
indiscrimenantly deleting.  I also detest when things get nasty (nasty
fighting words are best kept to personal messages), but again, those
messages are easily detectable and I can delete them when a brawl starts
to brew.
 
 
On Fri, 9 May 1997, STEVE PHILLIPS wrote:
 
> Is it a list for researchers?  Is the list primarily for commercial producers?
> Are hobbyists encourged to post?  What about the very inexperienced
> hobbyists, like myself?  Right now the bee-l is trying be all things to all
> beekeepers, and lacks an identity.   Because I'm a hobbyist, I rarely post
> to the list, mostly because I'm worried that if there is too much traffic by
> hobbyists, the commercial beekeepers and researchers will abandon the
> list because of all the noise.
 
I would miss hobbyist posts, because my bee husbandry is nothing to brag
about (and they ask questions I may not dare ask), and they often start
some of the more interesting threads (like that water collecting thread
this month).
 
Cheers
Adony
 
***********************************
** Adony P. Melathopoulos *********
*** Center for Pest Management ****
**** Simon Fraser University ******
***** Burnaby, British Columbia ***
****** Canada, V5A-1S6 ************
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"The pursuit of agriculture promotes the strength of the mind
 as well as the body"
         - Rev. John L. Blake, 1853