Just my opinion on off-topic postings...
I for one don't have a problem with them at all, as long as they don't
totally flood the list (which of course never happens as most people
here are musical trainspotters of the highest order -myself included -
and would rather talk about music than almost anything else). Most of
these postings get little or no attention from most list-members anyway
(and then often privately) you can assume generally that the more
on-topic a post is the bigger response you will get. Listmembers are
perfectly aware of this when they mail off topic-posts.
On the other hand, sometimes a wider topic of debate that may seem off
topic (or even totally off-topic posts) can lead to something more
interesting and open up new avenues. Certainly interesting debate isn't
made by just covering the same old ground again and again (which is what
can easily happen when people don't post to a list because they believe
they are off-topic)...
As for all this talk about asking for information on IDM before
searching on the web first, that's crap. Most people do make an effort
to look on the web before they appeal here, it's just that often it
doesn't provide easily provide them with the info they want. Many record
label and small sites aren't properly registered with search-engines or
throw up a host of related stuff before the page you require.
On the other hand, this forum is the perfect place to ask for 'relevant'
information on releases because there are many knowledgable people here,
many of whom run the sites that you would have ended up at via a search
engine anyway. I'm perfectly happy to let someone direct me to a URL
where I can pick up the info, as I usually state, and if I am in a
position to reciprocate information, I will. Likewise, if people don't
want to help out then they wont.
Here's a thought - how about mailing a 20 page questionnaire to people
about where exactly they have searched on the web and what they found
before making a decision on whether they can have their precious info or
not? I'm sure that would be much less time consuming than actually
providing it.
And it's not as if people are blatantly exploiting the members of this
list. I think we all appreciate people such as Lance and others who seem
to dedicate their lives to passing on information about all this great
stuff.
Gb.
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