Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Archive question

[Greg Dunn (MyLists]

Dec 14, 2002:  Check out new URL at end of this (and every list message) for 
Cohousing-L info page.  Season's Greetings.  Fred, list manager.
- -

I belong to about 30 Yahoogroups and have set up more than a dozen of
them, and haven't experienced the mail delays you speak of. Can you
elaborate on the problems you've experienced?

>>
the only advantage is text-searchable archives. (well, and polls and
calendaering and the other functions)
<<

I think the Yahoogroup has a couple of very important advantages over a
traditional list server that you didn't mention:

   1. Graphic user interface for setting and changing personal and list
options

   2. Option of "No mail" mode for message delivery - meaning you can
turn off all email but still 
      retain full access online (including the ability to reply) to all
messages.

I think those two features alone are high-impact differences.  Item 1
makes the Yahoo group much more accessible than a list server, both to
users and to administrators or would-be administrators. It is incredibly
easy to set up and learn to administer a Yahoo group.  Even grown-ups
can do it!  8-)

There are quite a few other advantages as well. You mentioned the group
calendaring facility, which can be very useful for certain kinds of
groups; as can the polling facility. Members can also easily review the
membership list themselves to contact other members privately when
that's appropriate.

The main disadvantages of a Yahoogroup that I see are these:

  1. Yahoo's Opt-out policy for including those who join Yahoo groups on
marketing lists.
     It's easy to opt out, but you have to tell group members to do it,
and how to do it,
     in the message you send them when they join; and at regular
intervals.

  2. No way (I think) to hide the membership list from members.


I'll appreciate hearing others' comments on any of this. I'm not an
apologist for Yahoogroups or an opponent of list servers - I'm just
someone with a strong interest in virtual community who wants to build
and maintain a good feel for the advantages and disadvantages of the
various vehicles available.


Greg Dunn
 


-----Original Message-----
From: cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org
[mailto:cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org] On Behalf Of Catya
Belfer-Shevett
Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 6:14 AM
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Subject: RE: [C-L]_Archive question


Yahoogroups is a miserable mail server - the only advantage is
text-searchable archives. (well, and polls and calendaering and the
other
functions)

My cohousing group is in the process of trying to get all of our stuff
OFF of yahoogroups, because the mail delays have caused so many
problems.

        - catya
                              ____
Catya Belfer-Shevett      ____\  /      Interested in
catya [at] pobox.com           \  / \/      Cohousing in MA?
www.catya.org              \/       www.mosaic-commons.org

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