Re: FLASH: FW: List Management Issues, please read

[Marc Hoffman, Poison Dart Frog Media]

At 08:16 AM 3/10/00 , you wrote:

>  1. Let's use subject lines well.

>  Hey could we _please_ start using reliable subjects....

>

>  2. Restrict reposting stuff we've already read.

>  Just trim down the thing you're responding to its essential...

>  Thanks much, I'm not trying to be a wet blanket


Hi Gahlord,


Nothing wet-blanket about your post at all. What IS a wet blanket is a post 

that copies the entire digest, or one that has the wrong subject, or one 

that says "site check" without including the URL or site name in the 

subject. By the way, I now trash all unidentified "site check" messages 

without reading them; I just don't have time to open every message to see 

if it's relevant or if it's been replied to.


On the other hand, I do look at posts with meaningful subject headers if I 

think I might be able to help, or if the topic is one I want to learn 

about. If I think someone else will probably do a better answering job than 

I will, I keep the message a few days to make sure it gets responded to. If 

no one replies, I might send my own less-than-perfect reply.


I also want to add some requests:


1) Please make sure your reply is going to add value to the thread. If you 

just want to say "thanks" to one or two people, send it off-list. Sure, 

courtesy is nice, but it's also courteous to spare the list of those 

replies. Same goes for "me too" messages (requests for files, or just 

adding your vote to someone's opinion).


2) If you have a file to share, put it on a server somewhere and send the 

URL to the list rather than just offering to send it to folks. It will help 

reduce the number of "me too" messages.


3) Newbie questions are, I feel, an important part of this list, and I 

don't want to discourage them. But please do look through the user's manual 

index, or Macromedia's Tech Notes, or one of the many other online 

resources, before posting to the list, especially if you're quite new to Flash.


4) If your Flash movie is not working correctly, try to provide as much 

relevant information as possible. Does it fail in Test Movie? On a Web 

server? What actions are you using (quote them exactly or we have very 

little to go on)? Post a URL whenever possible. Be specific about the 

effect you want to achieve.


5) If your need is urgent, say so in the subject, but remember this is all 

volunteer advice and you cannot expect an answer in a particular time 

frame. Wait a couple of days before re-posting. If you really need help 

right away, try the list, but be prepared to call Tech Support or hire a 

pro if you don't get a response soon enough.


In short, think about the time people are going to spend reading and 

thinking about and replying to your post, and then do what you reasonably 

can to help them use that time efficiently. If it helps, think about it as 

if you were paying for other people's time by the minute. Then be glad you 

aren't.


thanks.


Marc Hoffman


Poison Dart Frog Media: Specializing in Flash Animation and Digital Audio 

Production

Our latest Flash job is on display at <http://www.dartfrogmedia.com/rickfrnd>

See our Flash portfolio at <http://www.dartfrogmedia.com/portfolio>

(featured in Flash 3 Web Animation, by Ken Milburn)



flasher is generously supported by...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     flashforward2000 and The Flash Film Festival

  "The World�s Premier Flash Solutions Conference and Expo"

 March 27-29, Nob Hill Masonic Center, San Francisco, California


-Register before Feb 25 and save $200!!-- www.flashforward2000.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email

helpchinwag [dot] com