LL-L "Administrativia" 2002.12.27 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 27.DEC.2002 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 http://www.lowlands-l.net * admin at lowlands-l.net * Encoding: Unicode UTF-8
 Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/rules.htm
 Posting Address: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org
 Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
 Archive: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
=======================================================================
 You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
 To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
 text from the same account to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or
 sign off at <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
=======================================================================
 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic
                  V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
=======================================================================


From: R. F. Hahn <admin at lowlands-l.net>
Subject: Administrativia

Dear Lowlanders,

I am sorry to have to bug you again with an administrative matter, just a
postscript to the one I sent earlier today.

First of all, thank you to those of you who wrote to me in response.  Two
matters came up more than once, so I have decided to respond to them on the
List for everyone's attention.

A few subscribers wrote to me apparently with the assumption that I had had
specifically them in mind when I wrote about a need to avoid "frivolous"
posting.  Please note that I was not pinpointing anyone specific and that
this was not some sort of reprimand, just a reminder that what for some
people is enjoyable bantering may be unnecessary use of bandwidth to other
people.  In other words, I am merely reminding us all (yes, myself included)
to keep our eyes on the actual purposes of this list.  By the same token, I
do not want to play the "party pooper" and cramp people's styles.  After
all, I love a good joke, remark or anecdote just as much as everyone else.
So please remember that lightheartedness has most definitely a place, just
as long as it accompanies relevant substance, and as long as you are aware
that there is cultural diversity in humor.

One subscriber's request today reminded me that there had been similar
requests over time and that it was high time I brought this matter up to the
List.  This was a request for all subscribers' names and places (not
addresses).  Sorry, I cannot do that.  Names and addresses of subscribers
(and the corresponding places) are privileged information, accessible only
to the "owners" and "editors" of the List.  This information cannot be
passed on to anyone, and this is for the sake of security and common-sense
confidentiality.  A subscriber becomes known to the List if he or she posts
anything to the List, and this is their personal choice.  (However, I would
not pass on any further information about them either if I were privy to
it.)  Those who elect to remain "lurkers" ("the silent majority") have every
right to remain anonymous.  I certainly would love to see more of them "come
out" and grace us with their wisdom and/or curiosity, but I would never
dream of "outing" them, would never betray the trust with which they honored
me when they sent me information (names, addresses and places)  about
themselves.  In a word, confidentiality plays an important role on
Lowlands-L, certainly as long as I have anything to do with running it.

As you know, I periodically welcome new subscribers and list their places of
residence.  However, I do not connect this information with names and place.

Some subscribers have been with us for a long time, a few since the very
early months in 1995.  In those days I did not do a thorough job of keeping
track of subscriptions, and I gradually lost information about the dates on
which people joined and the places in which they lived.  Besides, some of
our loyal subscribers have moved since they joined us, quite a few of them
internationally.  Also, please bear in mind that rarely does a day go by
that someone does not sign up and/or off, and some people leave us and later
return.  Thus, membership is very much in flux, though there is a solid,
stable core membership (of about 75%-80% in my rough estimation).

My only New Year's resolution this time around is that I will attempt to
keep better track of membership while guaranteeing the same level of
confidentiality.  I am compiling a list of current members and will attempt
to reconstruct some information about their geographic distribution, hoping
to eventually produce periodic lists of places of residence (without names
and addresses of course).  At the same time I will also attempt to keep
track of subscription and unsubscription dates, in part to analyze any
patterns, if there are any.

I assume that this will be my last administrative message of 2002.  I would
like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped to make
Lowlands-L a hospitable and interesting place for yet another year.  Special
thanks go to all who have been quietly supporting the running of the List
and thos who have been volunteering for special projects, such as Lowlands
Talk (http://www.lowlands-l.net/talk/).  A massive kudos each goes to Sandy
Fleming (UK), Mathieu van Woerkom (Netherlands) and Roman Laryushkin
(Ukraine) who have been particularly helpful and productive in many ways.
Many warm thanks also to so many others of you who have been very supportive
to me and to the List in 2002 and in many cases for several years prior.
There will never be a way for me to adequately express my gratitude and
delight.

Hoping that you all slide smoothly into 2003 and will be safe and happy this
coming year, I send you my regards.
__________
Reinhard "Ron" F. Hahn
Administrator, Lowlands-L
http://www.lowlands-l.net

==================================END===================================
* Please submit postings to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
  <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 =======================================================================