--- In
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, Jack Bludis
<buildsnburns@...> wrote:
>
> Eric Chambers said:
>
> I'd just point out that you can already choose
threads by
> heading and just decide not to read them.
> However, I don't advise it. I have noticed that the
content
> of threads tends to mutate after a while and
those
> contributing to the thread are often discussing
something
> that is quite different to what the heading
indicates. You
> can miss a lot.
> ----
>
> You can solve a lot of your problems by going to the
digest
> format. I think most of us know that threads mutate.
We've
> learned to handle it without radical changes in
format.
>
> We may not all join in every discussion, but some of
us
> like to keep in touch with what is
happening.
Excellent points, and one can, as I have, change a heading to
reflect the changing subject. One can even trace those
threads at the YahooGroups pages for Rara-Avis (though its
threading can be a bit wonk at times).
And it does seem that the Forum Format discussion is losing
useful relevance to the list's topic or genuine aid in
discussing that topic. Bill Denton was always uncomfortable
when films were discussed at length, seeing this as a more
purely literary forum
(and apparently tiring of the endless debate of THE LONG
GOODBYE the 1973 film), but I think it hasn't been damaging
to be less strict in that dimension, but I think that easing
back, at least, on the Forum Format thread, might not be the
worst idea at this time.
Todd Mason
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 20 Feb 2008 EST