[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

News: Split Decision



Ninety of you, or 16%, responded to the recent question about
splitting SANET-mg.  The final tally was 34 for a split, 51 for
union, 4 neutral.  Thank you all for your participation, and your
patience.

During the course of the discussion, an excellent suggestion was
made:  that we hold a formal vote after an official discussion of
the most popular options.  However, I fear that much more traffic
on this administrative matter would tax your tolerance.

I propose, therefore, that for a trial period of 90 days, we keep
SANET-mg as is; we can always split later.  I recommend that the
following suggestions, which came from the group, be voluntarily
followed:

     *Each posting include an additional identifier, NEWS,       
      DISCUSSION or QUESTION, in the subject heading.  For example,
      NEWS:  LSP Job Listing, or QUESTION:  K-12 SA Education.
      This request is not for rigid consistency, but for clarity;
      imagine the clues you'd like to see on a posting, honey or
      vinegar.

     *I encourage you to respond directly to the person with a    
      request, question or comment.  Save group postings for the 
      times they are most needed.

     *Please keep public discourse civil.  Most people have a low
      tolerance for the ad hominem or the ex cathedral; take the
      fights, and the posturing, outside.

     *Avail yourselves of the other sustainable agricultural lists. 
      Contact Tom Hodges, sustag@beta.tricity.wsu.edu, or Larry  
      London, london@calypso.oit.unc.edu, for more information   
      about the lists they've created.  These conferences might   
      provide a different audience for some of your questions or
      comments.

     *Although the ALMANAC software used for SANET-mg does not   
      easily provide the digest option, as LISTSERVE does, there is
      a way to scan the subject headings of SANET-mg's archives and
      order from Almanac the postings you'd like to read.  
      That method is cumbersome.  But, if someone would like to  
      volunteer, I could explain to them how a daily or weekly    
      index could be created and distributed.  This contribution
      would be most welcomed by a number of SANET-mg readers.

I hope these suggestions are acceptable to most of you.  Of course, 
please feel free to comment or to suggest modifications.  I have a 
feeling, though, that the great majority of you are as tired of this 
subject as you became with other recent overloads.

Best regards,
------------------
Gabriel A. Hegyes
Sustainable Agriculture Network
ghegyes@wam.umd.edu