Re(2): Discourse structures

Katherine Goff (Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu)
Mon, 12 Jan 1998 09:20:43 -0700

Rachel writes:
>But what is the proper way to address a community, particularly if I've
>never - literally - seen any of its members face to face, and in fact
>don't know who most of them are? Obviously many members of xmca know
>each other from other contexts, but what about newcomers? I feel the
>tension very clearly, and also feel a difference between posting a
>general question to the list (pull towards formality/written style) and
>replying to a particular posting from a named individual
>(conversational/informal). How does one learn to interact in such a
>situation, where immediate feedback is minimal and usually limited?
>(Think of all the nuances gleaned from non-verbal cues in FTF
>interaction.)

It wasn't all that long ago when I was in a similar place with similar
worries.

And I probably would have viewed an FAQ on participation as supportive and
helpful.

But when such things are given to new participants, they constrain the
possibilities for creative expression and make innovation more difficult.
Some new members may be turned off by what could be viewed as restrictions
and prescriptions for participation. If the rules are ambiguous, they are
open to interpretaion, open to new possibilities.

I, personally, feel that I benefited from "taking the plunge" without
sufficient information to feel completely comfortable.

Kathie

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Life's backwards,
Life's backwards,
People, turn around.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Sinead O'Connor and John Reynolds
Fire on Babylon: Universal Mother^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu
http://ouray.cudenver.edu/~kegoff/index.html