Proper Use of Subject Lines

Jeff Wilson · 24 May 2010, 08:56 · from 2010-May.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 03:56:17 -0500
Subject: (urth) Proper Use of Subject Lines
In-Reply-To: <4BF69FD2.5060703 at gmail.com>
References: <mailman.7580.1274414864.5093.urth-urth.net at lists.urth.net>	<4BF67A69.6010706 at verizon.net>	<4BF69242.9090304 at io.com>
	<4BF69FD2.5060703 at gmail.com>
Message-ID: <4BFA3F31.60805 at io.com>

On 5/21/2010 9:59 AM, James Wynn wrote:
> On 5/21/2010 9:01 AM, Jeff Wilson wrote:
>> n my experience, it is unless you have a moderator with the ability
>> and the will to enforce pertinent subject
> I have, in the past, attempted to change the subject lines of threads as
> they moved OT. Maybe half or less of the participants followed. If the
> particular email that prompted them to responded did not have a changed
> subject, they didn't change it. Probably, because they didn't care about
> it as much as me or Mr. Brewer. Or, in the respondents opinion, their
> response *did* have to do with the original subject line. Hopeless cause.

it's not a hopeless cause, it just requires enforcement. I do it on 
playtest discussion lists all the time: I lay out the rules for subject 
lines, ask people nicely to follow them, warn them when they go astray, 
and if they persist in going astray, I send them to the land of 
postings-held-until-released-by-a-moderator to wander in the wilderness 
until they see the light.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
IEEE Student Chapter Blog at
< http://ieeetamut.org >

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