Guy I know I am not supposed to do this but here goes...attaboy I'm with you.
Edward Albert Chappaqua, NY, USA
I've ignored a number of perplexing posts on this matter, resisting the temptation to throw in my two cents. Because Edward Albert consistently makes reasonable and valuable contributions to this list, I was taken aback by this one. Why give Guy an attaboy? Guy's post left me scratching my head. Is it anyone's fault that Robbie has, in his own apt words, taken his ball and gone home? What was said to drive him to this point? As far as I can tell it was only Chuck who said anything that Robbie might have been put off by, and it was hardly a great afront. One other member voiced his support of Chuck's point, but almost a dozen of you came up with all manner of mostly irrational counterarguments. I think Chuck's point is that Robbie should not manage the administrative end of his business on list. The fact that Chuck and others have made offerings to the list from time to time is not the same as what Robbie did. The on-list offers aren't a problem, they are an opportunity. But what if someone did all his follow up emails to customers on CR? What if every time Chuck mailed a tee shirt, he posted to the list, "Tom, your tee shirt went out today." It would get annoying pretty fast, and it really wouldn't serve the client. Look at my case: My order went in to Robbie last week, and he told me I'd have a three week wait, so I'm left to wonder if I covered in his recent "hoods are made, all orders are shipped" email. If I wasn't what becomes of my order now that he's closed shop? Clearly I'll need to work this out with Robbie, which is an example of why his general post to the list was doomed from the start.
I don't think Chuck necessarily needed to correct Robbie, but he's not totally out of line. maybe he has his reasons. Maybe he has taken pains to use CR a certain way in the promotion of his side business and feels that we should all do likewise (just guessin'). In any case, he coulda gone to Dale, or contacted Robbie off-list or whatever, but Robbie could have done things differently too. Ain't no big deal, but it sure got a lot of people giving voice to bizarre bits of reasoning. Who said ALL Robbie's customers are reading CR? Where was the referenced beligerence? How is it relevant that not all listmembers like DeRosas? If the subject is on-topic, one interested reader should be more than enough. But, even if half the list is buying hoods, it's still not really the venue for communicating shipment dates, strictly speaking. Again, reduce it to a shipment to one member and consider how absurd it becomes. Compiling accurate mailing lists is only a little harder than using Dale's and is more appropriate.
As for this:
The first thing to do is add Chuck's email address to your "blocked email." Chuck has littered the "archives" with a ton of posts in for T-shirt sales, Velo-Rendvous/Velo-Retro information, and of course--the photocopied catalogues.
Ted Baer Palo Alto, CA
Up to your normal standards, Ted. Show me where Chuck posted to the list that an order was shipped. Thought so. Not saying Chuck runs the list, but his point was little more specific than you seem able to understand. He's not asking that nobody offer items to the list, he's asking that the transaction details be handled off list. Get it? Besides, blocking his email won't keep him from seeing anything that comes through the list. Just Sayin'
Bottom line (at last) is that Chuck's point had some merit. We may not agree with it, and it may not be his place to make it, but throwing back all sorts of ill-considerd rationalizations is not the answer. If there was ever a case where we might silently disagree with the original post, perhaps Chuck's was the one.
Tom Dalton Bethlehem, PA USA
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