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From: inc@fluke.UUCP (Gary Benson)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Bitchy; Destructive; Hate-Mail?
Message-ID: <182@tpvax.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Jan-84 16:46:06 EST
Article-I.D.: tpvax.182
Posted: Mon Jan 30 16:46:06 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 3-Feb-84 02:45:39 EST
References: <154@ubc-vision.UUCP>
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Everett, Wash
Lines: 46

ABSTRACT:
========

1.) Refutes the argument that Laura Creighton is not a good network citizen.

2.) Suggests moving discussion of long articles to a more appropriate forum.

3.) Proposes that an abstact be supplied for lengthy articles, and argues
    this point from the side of the reader.



BODY OF ARTICLE:
===============

Laura Creighton is always one of the top 25 submitters, based on the
regularly posted reviews of network activity. Furthermore, she usually has
something to say, regardless of whether it takes her 25 lines (frequent), or
135 (less so). Nonetheless, there have been many discussions about article
length, and the points made on every side usually have some sort of merit. I
would like to suggest that this discussion not take place in .singles or
.women, but to a more appropriate place, say an exchnage in mail between the
latest adversaries, or perhaps to .followup or .news (where the network
itself is discussed).

There are a great many standard practices and points of etiquette that have
been suggested, discussed, adopted, adapted or dropped since the creation of
this mode of converstion. One suggestion that has not recieved *near* enough
attention is to preface long articles (>~100 lines, for example) with a
"synopsis" or "abstract". This is not a foreign concept to the majority of
contributors. The value of using this tactic is that while it is true that
by reading the number of lines on the header, anyone can decide if they
really want to spend the time, an abstract may help some readers decide. 
Your attitude about the 'n' key surprised me, Laura. An abstract would take
only moments to prepare, and would indirectly say to your potential readers,
"I am aware of the time it is going to take you to read 200 lines, and
therefore, I have politely provided you with a decision-making tool."
Sometimes I like to read all 200 lines, but I often don't know if I want to
until I'm 150 into it. If I had an abstract of the major points the article
will raise, I could more easily decide to 'n' it or not.  Thank you.


-- 

Gary Benson
John Fluke Mfg. Co.
Everett, WA, USA