online/offline

[Jenny Barnett <andelos@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dear colleagues,
Thank you for your comments.
It occurs to me that I interpret "off-line" messages pertaining to
discussion topics as email sent to personal email addresses instead of
the discussion list. I did not mean fax and telephone. And I really
appreciate it when people summarize the information which was not put on
the dis.list. as Karin has just done. Unfortunately, not everyone does
this.

My query is specifically directed at technical information contributing
to the ongoing discussion topic, not personal messages. The topic
online/off line is about an aspect of the concept of email discussion
lists and therefore, I would think, certainly of general interest. In
the case of Karin's messages, I did not think I had missed anything
because she kept us informed of her findings. That's why I wrote that I
was "reminded" about the off-line question and emphasized my
experiences.

Of course one has to respect the rights of those who choose to send
their contribution outside the dis.list., but to be perfectly honest,
there is something about it that I find difficult to  accept graciously.
On the one hand, if you are really serious about offering, trying out or
developing ideas, questions or theories, at some point they have to
thrown into the public arena to be subjected to peer criticism to become
validated. On the other hand, there are many colleagues who are very shy
or modest and who must have good ideas but do not dare to express them
(fears: not good/important enough, people will laugh, people will sneer
etc.). The concept of the dis.list, as I understand it, is to provide a
quick, cheap, easy and informal way to share information and ideas with
a great audience as an alternative to the learned but slow and laborious
article. It is a perfect medium for trying out ideas, technical insights
etc. etc. getting quick peer feedback and thereby building up
professional confidence. So it is not only the question of what we are
missing when discussions go on behind (under, around, above?) the
dis.list., (when the results are not reported) it is also the question
of what the discussees are missing.

Also, I suspect that many non-native English speakers think that their
written English is not good enough to contribute. Is this a real
problem?

So I shall reword my as yet unanswered question. How can (for whatever
reason) uncertain  subscribers be encouraged to share their ideas etc.
in public for mutual benefit?

Jenny Barnett
Andelos Textielrestauratie
Oude Looiersstraat 65-67
1016 VH Amsterdam
NETHERLANDS
tel/fax 00 31 (0)20 427 18 27
andelos@xxxxxxxxx (NB change of address!)