[CAUT] Requirements for contributing/posting

[David Skolnik]

Now Kendall Ross,
Don't lose your humor now.  You've done so well, up to this point, 
ignoring old affronts, perceived or real.  You are in some good 
company in your history of conflict with the Organization, but, 
clearly, intractableness on either side usually proves detrimental to 
both.  There are many if not mostly fine, dedicated individuals 
contributing their energies to an organization that continues to 
struggle to both define itself and promote the field (in your case, 
one of the fields) we have found so rewarding to be engaged 
in.  While Chris S needs no help defending himself, (just with the 
bug in his computer that sent the same message three times), I'll 
suggest that, if not already apparent, he is also a humor-ful 
fellow.  The biggest danger of this form of communication, other than 
the time it takes some of us, its susceptibility to misconstruing, 
and the rapidity with which such misinterpretation can fatally 
redirect an otherwise productive interaction.

As is the case with so many of these threads, there is, potentially, 
more going on here than most of us have time, patience, or ability 
(that's me) to explore.  Here's what I've thought about:

1) While I have yet to read all the posts generated by your initial 
list of questions, I found them very thoughtful and would have liked 
to see more of them explored.
2) Whether on the lists or in the field, there is, I gather, a push 
to promote the PTG.  While I have never been an active proselytizer, 
I know how important it is, and, at the same time, how it can be 
objectionable to some. To the extent that this was made to seem a 
prerequisite, Chris has already apologized
3) There seems to remain some confusion regarding whether this (CAUT) 
or Pianotech are, in fact official PTG sites, especially now that 
they are hosted by ptg.org.  That 'identity crisis' will not 
disappear any time soon.  Some subscribers just assume that they are 
conversing with their PTG sibs
4) Ed Sutton's history of 'the lists' was concise, to both its credit 
and detriment.  Absent is the history of conflicts that have been 
instrumental in establishing the particular list 'cultures'.  At some 
point, there was a migration to CAUT from Pianotech, not because of a 
sudden increase in institutional technicians, but rather because many 
felt that the discourse on Pianotech had intolerably 
degenerated.  This has put a burden on CAUT's mission as an 'open' 
list focused on institutional issues.  Navigating the obvious overlap 
is a constant process that, at times, can be aided by constructive 
feedback.  Double posting seems, at times, the most logical way of 
reaching both groups of subscribers, however, for the many (? list 
administrator, fill in here?) who subscribe to both lists, it creates 
redundancy.  The (perhaps) unfortunate fact is that MOST of the 
postings on CAUT, over the last two years at least, have been of 
general technical interest, not institutionally specific. An 
unintended benefit is that such a split reduces the volume on either 
one of the lists.

I don't know what the solution is, but nothing said here, or by 
anyone else should be seen as discouraging your continued 
participation.  Maybe just try to feel out what the customs are, then 
consciously decide whether or not you want to observe them. At least 
then you'll only be flamed for your intentions.

Regards -

David Skolnik
Hastings on Hudson, NY

At 08:18 PM 7/10/2008, you wrote:
>Dear Chris:
>
>(Sigh.)
>
>Must I join your club, and jump through all the hoops (RPT 
>requalification), and become a bona fide CAUT, (and stay away from 
>purely technical discussions!) in order to have anything of value to 
>contribute?
>
>Or can I by this point be considered to have achieved some degree of 
>stature in the technical and musical communities, in spite of the 
>apparent absence of such prima facie endorsements?  (i.e. - haven't 
>I done enough already?)
>
>(On the CAUT info page it says that CAUT is a "community service", 
>and also that it is an "open list, allowing anyone to subscribe or 
>submit posts." Did I somehow misunderstand?)
>
>Can't I just be a guest for now?
>
>(It's okay, if my contributions are not pleasing or wanted I can go 
>somewhere else... ...sniff... ;-)  )
>
>~Kendall Ross Bean
>
>PianoFinders
><http://www.pianofinders.com/>www.pianofinders.com
>e-mail: <mailto:kenbean at pianofinders.com>kenbean at pianofinders.com
>
>Connecting Pianos and People
>
>"The reward for jumping through hoops is... ...more hoops".
>
>
>----------
>From: Chris Solliday [mailto:csolliday at rcn.com]
>Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 4:26 AM
>To: College and University Technicians
>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Tuning Pin Questions - About me... Since you asked...
>
>Thank you Kendall,
>Well now that we know how dangerous you are (and that you have such 
>illustrious beginnings, Charles Ball is one of the best and 
>brightest) let me recommend that you bite the bullet on the history 
>(I'm not sure that the bookkeeper forgot to send in the dues is a 
>legitimate excuse according to our bylaws & regulations) and rejoin 
>PTG and take the modern tests and become an active RPT. We need 
>intelligent and multi-talented folks like yourself in the 
>organization. I think you will find this to your advantage in the 
>marketplace as we make further enroads marketing the RPT.
>BTW are you contracted or employed by a College or University? While 
>we encourage discussions of all types (and yours has been most 
>interesting) on the CAUT list, purely technical discussions are 
>probably best directed to the piano tech list.
>Chris Solliday RPT
>Lehigh University
>Lafayette College
>East Stroudsburg University

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