OT Re Thread Bloat
An issue that got slighted in all the emotion this weekend was the concern at the heart of straight life's original post: thread bloat. Had it appeared just a couple of hours earlier and been worded slightly differently it would have been both much less controversial and, IMO, legitimate.
This thread--which now has its own 10K!!!!--is a priceless resource for four reasons: the intelligence and expertise of its contributors; the common framework of analysis that allows us to discuss many different companies without losing focus or insight; the grace, decency, and general maturity of thread regulars; and an extremely high signal-to-noise ratio. All four components are crucial to its success, and I don't think straight life was unique in noting that the last seemed to be in somewhat of a decline recently.
Although I have far less right than most to pontificate on such matters; and although I leave myself open to the charge of hypocrisy given my own behavior at times in the past; and although I have no desire to turn this into a "New Qualcomm" dryasdust wasteland; and although I probably should shut up now rather than create the potential for a new row--nevertheless, it seemed to me worthwhile speculating on what ideal guidelines for posting I would give a friend about to join the thread:
1. Don't publish every post you write, or start to write. Not every thought, emotion, or response is worth putting up on the board. Good writers know the value of editing, and good posters should too. Before publishing, ask yourself whether the post is likely to add to the general good or interest at least a few other souls out there. And if you are asking a question, especially a basic one, take the time to read the last few hundred posts first to see if it has been answered.
2. Use Private Messages (PMs) more than public posts. If your subject matter is not of general concern, it should probably be sent in a PM rather than a public posting. For example, Joe asks a question on the thread and Mary responds there. This is good, and all benefit from listening. But if Joe wants to thank Mary for her response, he should probably do it by PM rather than post a simple "Mary: Thanks. --Joe <eom>" Similarly, Ralph might then share a moving story about how the success of his JDSU investment has made him a religious man. This is also good, for we are all human and nothing human is alien to us. But if Joe wants to congratulate Ralph on his conversion, he should probably do it by PM. And if Joe is puzzled by Ralph's passing mention of his new strategy of "covered resurrection calls," which everyone else seems to take in stride, he should probably simply PM Ralph and say, "sorry to bug you, but what's a covered resurrection call and is it particularly vulnerable to a Y2K effect?" Ralph, like any G&Ker in good standing, will be all too happy to explain--and if he gets more than one such message, will probably explain in a new public post for the thread's benefit.
3. Strive to make the sum of all your posts a net positive for the thread. This is a bit tricky, and it runs the risk of sounding sanctimonious and off-putting, but I think of it as a way to avoid the "ask Mr. Wizard" problem. All of us want something from the thread, but we should try to put back in at least as much as we take out. So I would tell my friend to feel free to ask questions--but to try to compensate for such questions by making an effort to add value on some other issue. This might mean contributing insight into a company or a technology, or it might mean pouncing on a reasoning error or exposing a fallacy, or it might mean sharing a personal life or investment story that all can learn from or be moved by. All of these are legitimate contributions, and will be welcomed as such. I would not tell friends they couldn't or shouldn't make silly or insubstantial posts, especially during moments of general euphoria, only that the right to do so should be "earned" by the at least occasional provision of somewhat meatier fare (like that offered by the thread elders).
What all of these guidelines have in common is the insight that posts to the thread are not cost-free. They clog its arteries and take up time and attention that viewers could be spending on the other important things in their lives. If my friend thought about that briefly every time s/he started to post, the result would probably be a leaner and meaner G&K thread that would be no less lively and would continue to provide fun, wisdom, and profit for all into the next millenium.
Praying that this won't be miscontrued as an attack on anyone but rather as a public reminder to himself most of all,
tekboy(akaAres)@pompousprig.com
PS The whole problem could also be solved, of course, by having SI install a "View Next 50 Messages" feature, allowing quicker skimming... |
