Having a number of members repeatedly ignore my rather mild request to finish each message to the list with a signature made up of name (first and last) and city, is really beginning to "get my goat!" I don't know why (psychologically!) this gripes me as much as it does, but it does! I want a real old fashioned signature of sorts, not a blip in your e-mail address or whatever, but your name and hometown. Just like in the O'Reilly Factor.
Perhaps, to get all your cooperation, I need to describe why I request this procedure:
I believe that the Internet scene has a tendency to become an anonymous, impersonal place with some people hiding behind screen personas and often acting out in ways that are frequently not civil. It is my perhaps naive idea, especially on a list which has the subject matter of our CR, that if we conduct our e-mail exchanges act like real people using our real names and our real hometowns, that those occasionally cowardly acts of meanness towards one another will be less likely to happen.
The CR should be a forum which allows us to relate to one another as real vintage bike buffs... from a particular town and region...where we know one another's names and where we respect each other as real people.
In other words, if you know who I am and where I live, I will be less likely to act out toward you in an e-mail message.....?
So, to maintain this mailing list and to keep its unique character, which I am pleased to say is coming along rather nicely. I have set certain basic guidelines, rules if you will, which I require be adhered to. One disgruntled fellow who used to be on the CR list calls me a Hitler and despot because of this. I urge him, and any others who do not like this list's flavor, to please feel free to start their own, more free-for-all list. I might even join myself! But THIS list, the Classic Rendezvous will maintain it's course...
So.............. if you enjoy this list and want to remain aboard, I ask you to sign your doggone messages like I require.
If you do not heed my request, I will remove you from the list. Can I be any more clear?
Copied below again is the Greeting message sent out to all new CR list members. Please read over it so you will be informed.
Thanks Dale Brown CR list manager Greensboro, NC
<< Hello vintage lightweight bike fan. Welcome to the Classic Rendezvous mailing list!
The idea for this list is to exchange information and experiences relating to classic lightweight bikes. Here are a few rules you must abide by to remain eligible to stay on this list:
- No anonymity please. If you cannot be yourself and sign posts with your real name and home town, please do not join.
- For Sale (or Wanted) postings are OK for items fitting our topic timeline, but must always include a price up front and should be posted only once.
- Please do not post picture files (jpegs, gifs, etc.) directly to the list. Instead refer list members to that pic on a web site by posting the URL (Use one of many free photo hosting services out there!)
- As a way to avoid extraneous mail and over flowing mail boxes, messages should be carefully considered before sending, concise in content and always on topic.
- In order to reduce CR mail received by list members, please do not send "Attaboy" or "Me too" or joke messages.
- Please do not "cross post" i.e., send the same message to many lists. If we take the time to read your message, it should be very on topic and unique to our list.
- Courteous exchanges only. The list is not intended as a debate forum; in fact, it is not intended to be a "chat list" at all but one in which every post contributes to the communal knowledge base. Passionate disagreements may not be indulged in on-list.
- Members disregarding these guidelines will be summarily removed from the list.
- Optional upon joining, but highly encouraged, is for new members to provide
a little profile of themselves: what bikes they have or wished they have,
other experiences relative to these bikes and a bit about who they are...
Check out the CR archives at
http://www.phred.org/
- We have focussed on the approximate period from the beginning of the Twentieth Century, up to the early 1980s. Certain classically produced modern bikes are considered "on topic" here, but those welded, injection molded, or glued modern wonders belong in some other mail list, not this one! Ditto for mountain bikes & balloon tired bikes. Those items have merit, but they just do not belong here.
- Don't hesitate to ask a newbie question. Everyone starts at the beginning!
Please contact me at oroboyz@aol.com if you have questions.
Have fun and welcome aboard!
Dale Brown,
List Manager
Greensboro, NC >>
http://www.classicrendezvous.com