[AT] list

[charlie hill]

Howard I'm replying via your message not because of anything you said
or didn't say.  It's just the message on this topic I was looking at
when I decided to say this so don't take offense, etc.

The problem with an internet list is the same as with a church or a civic 
club
or whatever.  It takes members and they have to be ACTIVE to make it work.
Just sitting and reading the mail and saying how dumb an answer is or how 
good
and answer is to yourself does nothing to help the list.  It takes 
participation.
That participation pushes traffic that people find via word or mouth or web 
searches
and that brings in more members with more diverse experiences and the site
can grow and improve.  When folks don't take the time to get involved and 
help out
and (as John said) reply and say thanks, then the list traffic dies down, 
folks loose interest,
new folks don't find the list and it dies.

The message that John sent the list was actually intended to go to me 
privately.  He sent it to
the list by accident.   He sent it to me, I think, because I told him 
privately a long time ago
that I was tired of trying to keep this list alive when no one else seems to 
care about it.
You might have noticed that I rarely post here any longer.  In days gone by 
I've bent over backwards
to help folks with their questions to the extent of making myself look like 
an idiot on occasion
just to try and stir up some conversation that might eventually get an 
answer to the original question.
I don't know if you guys  have noticed or not but some folks will sit back 
and read and not offer their
expertise until someone else says something wrong.  Then they can't wait to 
jump in and CORRECT
the idiot that said something wrong.

I'll leave it with that.  If you guys want an antique tractor list (this one 
used to be the envy of the internet)
then you have to support it with your questions, comments and knowledge.  If 
you don't it's going to die.
For those that might not know, this list used to generate well over 100 
messages a day and some great
discussions with some very knowledgeable individuals that were giants in the 
world of old tractor
restoration.  Some of those fellows have gone on to their reward and we 
can't change that but other have
just fallen by the wayside or are sitting on their rears not participating. 
I don't know who is doing what.
I don't care.  There are no hard feelings.  It's just the way it is.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Howard Weeks
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2013 12:48 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] list

Interesting subject that has been a minor thorn in my side about the
internet generation in general.

I am not an "expert in all things" but I do know what I am talking about
in some areas.  In those areas where I do not know, I keep my mouth shut
because I only learn by listening to someone that does know.

I don't mind helping someone that is trying to help themselves first.
When reading the questions submitted to the internet, it is obvious that
hasn't happened in many cases.  They haven't bothered to do enough
reading to even be able to communicate the problem clearly.

The internet attitude seems to be that one can get an answer to anything
by just asking - and that even though you can't speak the language, you
will understand the answer and be able to magically fix the problem. I
think LAZY is part of the definition.

I will not do someone else's homework for them.

Another thorn is the situation where you provide an accurate answer and
five other experts want to dispute it or argue about it.  Again, I will
not respond.

These issues are unique to the old tractor world.  I collect and restore
old communications radios and it is amazing the questions that get put
out for answers on that subject.

That felt good!

Howard in GA

On 4 Apr 2013 at 8:55, Charlie V wrote:

> Got up on the wrong side of your cup of coffee today, John?  GRRRRRRR!.
>
> Sorry.  Just had to do that.  I somewhat agree with you.  I cannot help
> notice in a situation where someone posts a question--Say a tractor will
> not start.  Ten replys are posted.  Some not too related, but some very on
> target.  Then the original poster is never heard from again.  It would be 
> a
> nice courtesy it the original poster would come back in a few days and let
> everyone know if his tractor is now running, and if he knows , what
> actually did the trick.
>
> Just my 1.25697 cents.
>
> Charlie V.
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 3, 2013 at 9:01 PM, <jtchall at nc.rr.com> wrote:
>
> > You know, It´s getting really tiring to post help on the list and never
> > get acknowledged for it. Especially when you go to the trouble of 
> > posting
> > links that may help folks with a problem. I have gotten to the point I
> > pretty much refuse to help some folks as they never seem to thank anyone 
> > or
> > fail to heed the advice they are given. It´s sad to see the knowledge 
> > base
> > we have dwindling away.
> >
> > John Hall
> > _______________________________________________
> > AT mailing list
> > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> >
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at



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