Killing the List

[Robin Blankenship]

John,
Thank you for the thoughtful and well reasoned reply.
I have myself been the recipient of some splendid tech advice. As a non-RPT,
I am sometimes put off by the ocassional arrogant "know it all". But, on
balance, a specific question has gotten specific and enlighting replies. I
think that Ms. Grassi has been able to extract some terrific stuff for the
journal from our collective ideas.

Regarding a dues increase, perhaps if all PTG members realized that they
were paying for a well moderated forum, more would at least look at it. Very
few with whom I am in regular personal contact even seem to know about it. I
find that passing strange. Therefore, I concur.

The list is especially valuable for comparing methods, means, tools, etc.
from various parts of the globe.

I thought that ego massaging was generally not part of the professionals'
work related activities. A moderator could hopefully weed out some of that.

It is pretty evident who the real "heavy hitters" are. I often wait to read
a thread until one of them has chimed in. Then, I'll save their comments. I
now have a healthy folder of superior tech thoughts to draw upon. Quicker
than searching the list's archives!

Are you familiar with lists where all posts are pre-sorted by thread?
Perhaps a moderator could do that.

Also, they could help interject interesting topics when the going gets slow
or bogged down.

Perhaps non-PTG techs could get a "sample" version for awhile, thus
hopefully piqueing their interest in the Guild.

And, finally, a Moderator could perhaps untangle some of the highly
convoluted postings, which become rather difficult to decipher after the
thread has been bumped around a bit.

Just a thought.
Robin Blankenship

----- Original Message -----
From: Woodrow, John (Parramatta) <John.Woodrow@pil.com.au>
To: 'Pianotech List' <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 11:13 PM
Subject: Re: Killing the List


> Robin Blankenship wrote:
> This list is far too valuable to the less experienced and mid-level tech
to
> let it slip away.
> Could you recommend some helpful solutions?
>
> Robin,
> IMO, it is slipping away FAST, and it is often the worst offenders who
have
> the most to loose by the demise of this list.  If we continue as is, I
have
> no doubt that with 12 to 18 months this list will be ......can't find the
> right word, but dead will do.
>
> This list grew from a relatively small group of 'serious' (professionally
> not necessarily personality) technicians with access to the emerging new
> Internet technology.  Now that 'everybody' has access to the Internet, the
> way the list has developed is probably to have been expected.  In the past
> the list was NEVER short of a mix of meaty piano topics and simple
practical
> tips thanks to major contributions from contributors such as Jim Coleman
> Snr.
>
> So it comes down to do people want:
> (1) a forum for discussing piano related topics, being kept brief and to
> the point to be of maximum value to busy people, or
> (2) a general chit-chat social discussion group for piano-technicians
>
> The thing is I don't believe both goals can coexist with the 'low level'
> discussion group technology being used here.  Those who want option 2 are
> killing the list for those who want an option 1.
>
> With the demise of most formal courses in piano technology, I believe the
> list has, or at least had, the potential to fill a large gap in the piano
> technology educational space.  My experience is that those who say they
know
> everything and don't need this are usually in most need of such a
resource.
> For this purpose my recommendations to the PTG to get the list back on
this
> track would be:
> It should only be available to PTG members (including International
> Correspondence).  Reason, if you don't want to financially contribute,
well
> need I explain, and
> A paid moderator should be appointed.  I would be more than happy to have
a
> small increase in membership fee (say $10 or $20) to pay for the use of a
> moderated list.
>
> Regards,
> John Woodrow
>
>
>