Re: Why Lurk?

[Tom Murrell <trmurrell -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

> <<I'd like to poll the lurkers. My question: Why lurk?>>

It surprises me to realize that I am in the process of becoming a lurker. I
know I've posted a lot less than I did a year or two ago. There are several
reasons for my lack of regular posting that have nothing to do with leading a
busy life or having a hot project underway.

TOOL QUESTIONS - There are plenty of people more knowledgeable about tools than
I am, even the tools I use regularly. And they give plenty of answers quickly
to all tool questions. (Regrettably the 'innocent' tool question--if that's not
an oxymoron--often leads a thread to degenerate into another tool war. For that
reason, I almost never read tool topics on this list. If I want tool
information from this list, I'll check the archives. Better yet, I'll find
pages on the Internet that will answer my questions.)

GRAMMAR QUESTIONS - They're supposed to be verboten on this list (sigh), but
they keep cropping up. Another area where a couple of dozen of fifty writers
will quickly chime in with the right answers, even when those answers are
contradictory. This is another area that can quickly degenerate into a flame
war. 

STYLE QUESTIONS - (See Grammar Questions.) I will add this: Everything I ever
needed to know about style I learned while teaching English 110 at The Ohio
State University: Purpose, Audience, Code, Experience, Self.)

POLL QUESTION DISCUSSIONS - They are seldom worth the effort. Most threads are
attempts to explain how the poll did not offer the writer a needed option, or
how impossible it was to select an option from those provided.

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME - Everyone 'knows' the right way to format a resume to
get a job (though I admit that I still get sucked into this one from time to
time).

JOB MARKET - "How's the job market in (location of your choice)?" Generally, I
don't know.

So, why do I stay on the list? Every now and then, I learn something. Every now
and then, I can help someone else. (More and more I restrict my replies to the
individual asking the question, usually after I have seen something that's been
posted but not replied to for some time.)

And occasionally, I'll respond to something like this question on list. One or
two people might read it and think about it; the rest will dismiss it as
curmudgeonly grumbling. A few will rip me either privately or publicly. I
figure if I distract you into focusing on me, others will be able to get some
work done.

Have a nice day/night/weekend!

=====
Tom Murrell
mailto:tmurrell -at- columbus -dot- rr -dot- com
Personal Web Page - http://home.columbus.rr.com/murrell/index.html Last Updated 06/10/02
--Small change can sometimes be found under seat cushions. (Lazarus Long/Robert A. Heinlein)--

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