[stylist] For all STYLIST Members

[Robert Newman]

Dear Friends

For as long as STYLIST has been around, it has been a good journey, a great
place to meet and exchange all those things that a mailing list is used for.
And speaking of what an NFB mailing list is to be used for- first, it
reflects what the groups stated purpose is, which in our case is writing.
And second, in tune with what the NFB is all about, STYLIST is also about
blindness. And for the most part, we have honored that dual intent pretty
closely. Sure, from time to time, we've strayed away from these two themes,
and even had to post a reminder to rain in our content and return to our
routes. 

Today we find that we have a few individuals expressing frustration with
recent message traffic in regard to content and volume. (A sometimes
happening that is not uncommon on a mailing list.) and I believe this is a
problem which is in the process of being resolved and will soon be laid to
rest; being the reasonable and likeable bunch that we are. And as part of
this family's negotiation, I see that some of us feel that it would be a
good thing to have a place where we as friends, would be allowed to hold
communications with fewer boundaries. I've asked David Andrews about a
second list and, yes we can have one if we ask. I personally would prefer
that we all do our communications here in STYLIST, but hey, I'm realistic in
that I know there are some of us who are much chattier than others and need
the opportunity to have a place where they can gather and do their off topic
discussions. And we have also seen that there are some of us who know
exactly how easy it is to create another list, as Allen Wheeler has offered
via YAHOO. 

So what I am per posing is, that if some of you want a list to meet and talk
about anything outside of writing and blindness, then do go with Allan's
suggestion and offer to set it up. 

As for why I do not want us, the Division to ask David to set us up with a
second list, I have two big reasons why- First, in looking at the NFB-s page
where all NFB mailing lists are posted as available to be joined or dropped,
I see that the format of the stated list name and its description of intent
is kept at a very minimum of wording. Okay, so what I would be afraid of is
that a second Writers' Division listing on this page would I fear be
misleading and confuse a new person looking for where he or she can find the
list to meet other writers for the purpose of discussing writing. Granted,
the word STYLIST doesn't pop out at you as being "Writers Hang Out Here>"
but the line below it speaks to who the list belongs to. (Look at the 2
lines immediately below; they are what advertises our list on the NFBNET
site).

stylist 
NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List 

Second reason- I sure would not like to have STYLIST'S power diluted by some
of the great sharing being taken away

Finishing this thought, as I indicated above, if we feel there is a need for
an additional list for the purpose of interacting on whatever topic we wish,
then let us have Allen set up a list for us through something like Yahoo.
Yes, let us, the Writers' Division take care of our own. But I say as the
President, watch it in respects to not allowing that second list to dilute
the power of STYLIST. 

Your thoughts? 

President NFB Writers' Division
Robert Leslie Newman
Email- newmanrl at cox.net
Division Website- 
Http://www.nfb-writers-division.org