(Why can't we all just read newsgroups? Two reasons: Because they make it somewhat difficult on alt.config to create new alt groups for a particular artist -- justifiably, or else we'd have a billion music newsgroups, ranging from alt.music.josie-and-the-pussycats to alt.fan.my-third-grade-choir-teacher; to alt.rock.stone-temple-pilots.advocacy; we already have such waste-of-disk-space groups as alt.music.sultans-of-ping and alt.music.jeff-buckley) and because the existing general-purpose music groups, like alt.music.alternative are an overloaded mass of incoherency and flameage.)
The larger problem, with Usenet music newsgroups as well as mailing lists, is that music topics appeal too much to the lowest common demoninator. Often, a new and young Internet user will subscribe to a music list first because that's what they are most interested in. But these new users lack the ability to edit posts or to post correctly in the first place; and the type of person who posts passionately about music often seems to be unconcerned with learning how to do it right. The result is plain to see: Few posters bother to make their post legible, and even fewer have anything worth saying (that's why I'm usually silent on these lists: but at least I know I have nothing to say). New posters also often lack an understanding of netiquette as well as the historical knowledge of what topics have been beaten to death a million times.
If they keep at it long enough then they will usually garner a clue, but there are so many people early in the learning curve, and it's just not worth it for me to put up with sixty "unsubscribe" notices in a day.
That's what makes the following post, by Mr. X [name withheld at his request], so funny. It was posted to the Belly mailing list, and as you can see, one rehash of a particular thread had driven poor Mr. X absolutely over the edge. Reposted here with Mr. X's blessing.
From belly@mcfeeley.cc.utexas.edu Tue Dec 12 17:52:22 1995 Date: Tue, 12 Dec 1995 19:07:34 -0600 From: Mr. X Subject: age, bands, other questions... some sadist wrote: > out of curiousity how old is everyone? i'm just curious to see the range of > fans... > > heheh okay thanx fer answering my age question. just wondering tho- what > other music groups do yew guys like ta listen to? (if this shouldn't be > allowed on the list. i'm sorry. flame my butt <g> or send me private) > --i want to see the range of musical tastes in people that like belly. > aren't i the inquiring mind? > [thousands of lists of ages and bands deleted, all of which i was *delighted* to receive] Well, thats wonderful. I couldn't sleep at night without getting a post from every single one of you about how old y'all are. and just when i thought it couldn't get any better, now i'm getting lists of bands too. yay! (and not that long ago, we discussed tanya's brand of cigarettes! Glory be to mailing lists! knowing what sort of cig's the band smokes just gives me this warm tingly feeling inside.) but are we done? one helpful respondant included his height. (i sure am glad no one's wasting my time with insightful posts about belly songs or shows or, god forbid, recent news!) so this got me to thinking, there's more we should know about us belly fans? For example, height. i'd like to know how tall all of you are? wouldn't this be helpful? i'd know exactly how far back i can stand at a belly show without being blocked by a really tall person (im 5'10"-- thoroughly non-short, yet thoroughly non-tall). so, tell us that. and remember when we were discussing cigarettes, and someone took time out of their busy schedule to let us know that tanya liked water and yogurt? i sure do. so i was wondering, how many belly fans like water and yogurt? what kind of yogurt do you like? and do you mix it up, or just let the fruit sit at the bottom like my friend clarence? it does concern me though, that we haven't reached an agreement on tanya's age yet. does it concern the rest of you? these are the thing we need to discuss on this list! these are the things we need to know about belly fans! keep those ages and bands coming! for the even more sharing of you, i have even more questions we should know about belly fans! apart from age, bands, height, cigarette&yogurt preferences, which are all of utmost importance, i wonder more things about belly fans. how many of you don't have all the king singles yet? does this make you feel inadequate? going back to other bands do you think belly gets enough radio airplay? (i don't listen to the radio, so i couldn't tell you) speaking of airplay, do you think MTV plays too much rap? speaking of the visual medium, belly's been on a couple of soundtracks, so what are belly fan's favorite movie soundtracks? what are your favorite movies? how often do you watch them? for most of you, is it just the band, or do you like *all* bellies? is pro wresting real, or do you think its all faked? do you think lee harvey oswald acted alone? are you picking up on my sarcasm? in any case, i'm dropping out of the group now cause you all are so cool, i can never get any work done. so, anyway, post any responses to the list if you want, cause im sure they're all very interested on anything you'd have to say on the topics, since, after all, we were all so interested in the age and band threads. as for me, if you want to let me know, send me private e-mail. i could use a good laugh. bye bye all. merry listing, and a happy new year. I love you guys. -Mr. X