Subject: RE: NANFA-L-- RE: New nanfa list
From: Denkhaus, Robert (Robert.Denkhaus-in-fortworthgov.org)
Date: Mon Aug 30 2004 - 17:00:10 CDT
Bob and BG,
Having met you, Bob,-in-a couple of conventions and having had several email exchanges with you, BG, I know that both of you are common sense type individuals who strongly belief in NANFA's mission. I also know that all of us have made friends through NANFA and particularly the NANFA list. While it may not be included along with conservation and education about native fish in the mission, these friendships are extremely important and vital to the way NANFA has operated, does operate, and will continue to operate. However...
Sometimes friendship, and all of the things that go along with it, can go too far on a public list. Friends discuss things other than fish. That's fine but such discussion does not belong on a fish list. I am no longer on the BOD but "listened in" on the discussion regarding the guidelines for this list. (BTW, anyone can do it by joining the BOD list.) Anyways, one of the reasons for the guidelines being developed was that there have been a few individuals who terminated their memberships because of some of the off-topic posts on the list. I think that y'all would agree that NANFA is a small organization that can't afford to lose members if we are to continue doing the good things that we do. Also, we have no idea how many potential members that we may have lost because they checked out the list and didn't like what they found.
I admit that I have no problem using the delete button. Right now, I have 143 emails in my deleted items folder that I never bothered to read. Some are spam, some are NANFA list, and some are from other lists but all came in this past weekend. I'm used to doing this and don't find it to be a problem picking and choosing what I read but I can understand that some people don't want to do it and shouldn't have to.
I do not believe that the BOD is being heavy handed-in-all. In fact, I think that they are being quite fair and possibly even a bit "easy" on all of us. For example, a few weeks ago I was trying to get hold of a copy of a paper from an obscure (in Texas,-in-least) journal. Figuring that someone on the list would be able to find it, I posted a request for anyone that had access to the journal to contact me off list. In less than 24 hours, I had a copy of the paper that I needed (Thanks Jan!). One person responded on list and I used that opportunity to reply and thank all that contacted me with assistance. So, there were 3 off-topic list emails (my request, one response, my general thank you) and no one raised a ruckus. If it had resulted in 35 messages then I am sure someone would have sent me a polite request to take it off list just as they should.
So, please don't think that the BOD is being heavy handed or petty or whatever. They are faced with the difficult task of keeping the entire membership happy.
Rob Denkhaus
Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
www.fwnaturecenter.org
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: Wed Sep 29 2004 - 12:24:25 CDT