Re: Important: Encourage people to join the list
From: Sharon Villines (sharonsharonvillines.com)
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2021 06:54:06 -0700 (PDT)
> On Jun 16, 2021, at 12:03 AM, Fred H Olson <fholson [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> I do think there is a danger in getting too popular. We already have
> so nmany posts many subscribers finding it overwhelming.  We currently
> have great subscribers based on my evaluation of the quality of posts.
> I have a bit of fear that we could attract so many people that might
> change. We need to attract the right folks.

I think the danger is in trying to be all things to all people. Email lists do 
give the advantage to people for whom writing is easy (relatively) and who are 
comfortable with asynchronous information flows. But they also have the 
advantage of immediacy, group forming, impromptu topics, fun, and create their 
own culture.

I find forums useful for things like asking software questions but not for 
discussion. Having to presort comments into predefined categories drives me 
nuts. It takes as long as writing the message. But others love it. Helps them 
feel/be organized.

And email list does what it does very well. Better than anything else — 
although there are better and worse email services, and they can reverse 
themselves from better to worse over time — as in Yahoo.

> I encourage anyone who wants to undertake Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
> for the list to do so, write me.

Searches go to webpages so the optimization would have to be done on the 
webpage. I don’t know how the site is set up — it would require working with 
Karen to sort out the technicalities.

> The word "Listserv" (capital L and one e) is a registered trademark

Does the company that trademarked it still exist? I agree about younger people 
having never heard of it. 

Basically it was the first or one of the first software programs to handle 
email discussions and was written in the days of DOS.

> I am not aware of much "turf/competition issue here" but of course
> as the well established discussion that is esy to say.

The problem may be in the lane of people who don’t like email discussion groups 
dissing it rather than dissing cohousing-l specifically. Though egos exist 
everywhere.

> There is a web based cohousing discussion tho it has not caught on:
> https://thecohousinglife.proboards.com/

This one has been around a long time. Again it is hard to find and easily 
forgotten. Does anyone moderate this?

Fred, I think the steps you mention for letting people know about the list are 
good.

On a larger note, the time may have come to form a consortium of cohousing 
organizations so they all have visibility and a central place to explain their 
relationships.

Sharon
——— 
Sharon Villines, Editor & Publisher
Affordable Housing means 30% of household income
Cohousing means self-developed, self-governed, self-managed
http://affordablecohousing.com

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