H. W. (Sandy) McCullough wrote:
>
> Come on guys (and gals). Enough is enough. Give George a break.
> He's a new guy to the list, and the way everyone here has been
> treating him he won't be around for long. IMHO he was just trying
> to help. I may or may not agree that there should be a "B" specific
> list, but that's beside the point. Don't flame the guy for good
> intensions.
>
OK, I held off to let this die down a bit - but I couldn't hold off any
longer. The problem was that the guy did *not* have good intentions.
He barged onto the list ignoring the all-time basic Netiquette first law
of lists - "lurk first" (where you can pick up on the basic attitude and
ettiquette and 'feel' of the list before putting fingers to keyboard).
Then he indicated very strongly that this list was not the best place
for 'B owners (otherwise why would he be 'inviting' people to use
another list). Maybe he worded it incorrectly or just did not consider
his phrasing of the 'invitation' before blurting it out, but that comes
back to the 'lurk first' law.
People on the list reacted angrily because we felt insulted, even if
only slightly (many of us who have been here for more than a little
while feel a sense of ownership and community here) and because his
actions may have the potential to diminish the depth and breadth of the
knowledge-base of this list. The 'collective brain' of this list may be
bigger than the sum of the individual parts - but it will certainly
diminish with fewer 'parts'.
This 'stranger' wandered into our party, virtually slagged it off and
told people there was a better place to be. If he didn't expect a
strong reaction then he is simply lacking in social skills and I bet he
gets similar reactions in his 'non-virtual' life.
As far as the need for a 'B list - why? Was he even here long enough to
get ANY sense of the discussions at hand? Is there any reason to
believe that the majority of discussions are NOT relevent to 'B owners
or that 'B owners were in the minority here? If he did get this
feeling, then he must read only every tenth item of mail.
I own a 'B and this list (even if just for somewhere to vent amongst
people who might understand) has been fantastic to me. I own a 'B but
dream of owning an 'A and love hearing about them - when I get one I
will already know a bit about them and where to go to ask further
advice. I won't have to go to another list, especially if I want to
insert some 'attitude' into it.
I love T-types and Y-types and the whole history of the marque - and
here they all are, right in my mail box.
Can you imagine your local MG Car Club restricting its membership to the
different registers? I love my Club BECAUSE we are all in it 'together'
- and we now have over 600 members (as quoted at last night's AGM). It
is always fantastic to turn up and park in a car park packed with such a
wide range of types - and to hear and join in with the discussions on
all the joys and hassles of ownership of each type.
*That* is why *I* felt strongly. Give him a break? He didn't give *us*
much of a break!
Eric
'68MGB MkII
Adelaide, South Australia
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