Just to add some data to what David said.

Some researchers have stated that we get only 3% of information from the
words used. While many of us might dispute that figure, it is true that
most of the information in a communication between 2 or more people,
comes from things other than the words used.

A few years ago some academics did some serious research into email use,
and found exactly what David just described. In mathematical terms,
email is a hyper game.

In a hyper game you don't know the other players tactics, and can only
surmise by what you see them do. In email it was consistent that
subscribers to an email list misinterpreted the reasons for other
subscribers doing something - in this case either sending or not
sending, not responding, or unsubscribing.

It got worse - the misinterpretation acted as a positive feedback that
made the situation worse. In one example, a lack of response was read as
support by one group, and this was the complete opposite of the real
reason, and a flame war was the result.

The old saying rings true - computers don't make mistakes, but they do
allow people to make their mistakes bigger and better.


Regards
Greg Whymark
HoS Mgt&IS
Internal Tel: X2741
Telephone: 0418 158 701
Facsimile: 07 4923 2552 (+61 7 4923 2552)

-----Original Message-----
From: David Archer [mailto:woodbine@...]
Sent: Monday, 3 December 2007 13:18
To: AUS-Croquet@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [AUS-Croquet] Calling Australians

The Croquet NSW web site has included the subscribe email address of the
Australian List for many years on its links page
http://www.croquet-nsw.com/links.html and as the administrator of this
site
I have now updated this entry to invite subscription alternatively by
emailing Ian Davidson as its administrator.

I have contacted the Croquet NSW Executive with the suggestion that we
place a news item on the home page of our web site which advertises the
existence of the Australian List and encourages people to join it. I
suggest that Ian or Liz might contact other States to ask them to do
something similar on their web sites.

However, in response to comments by Liz that "subscribers must be
entitled
to freedom of speech", and that "strong emotion, misunderstanding and
even
paranoia are facts of life" I will say that whereas the former is a
given,
there is an etiquette to using email, and particularly email lists,
which
if not adhered to by frequent users will reduce subscribers. That
etiquette
includes being more moderate than one might be in face-to-face
conversation, not using methods of emphasis such as block capitals, and
never getting personal with anyone. I hope that current subscribers are
all
reading this carefully.

Kind regards,
David Archer.






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