While many are identifying me with starting a blog, I too would prefer to see the current system continue, but with some kind of constraints/restraints, preferably voluntary by contributors, but if necessary imposed from above.  My specific suggestion was not more than two comments per thread, and I am now at that for this thread, so will say no more.  

Barkley Rosser

________________________________________
From: Societies for the History of Economics [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Coffin, Donald A [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 10:07 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: SHOE: Lists and Blogs

Let me add that I also prefer the current system; I suspect that, if we separated the substantive threads part of this list into a separate blog-type thing, I'd be less likely to drop in.  Which some might see as a benefit to the blog-type thing.

Don Coffin

-----Original Message-----
From: Societies for the History of Economics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve Kates
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 7:45 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: SHOE: Lists and Blogs

I can see that there are different levels of interest on this list with some only interested in notification of the next meeting of the HES while others take pleasure in the exchanges over various topics that come up from time to time. There may well be some who find the discussion threads only an annoyance so there may be an advantage in separating the two sets of threads. My guess, though, would be that near enough everyone would sign up for both since what we have here is an instant communication system in which historians from around the world are able to listen in on discussions amongst other historians of economics and occasionally buy in themselves. Why someone would not want to eavesdrop on these conversations I do not know. Personally, I am content with the way things are and if there is a split I will, of course, subscribe to both.

Let me also finally add that the reversion to the previous system of identifying postings, where the original author is named as the sender of the posting and the subject line is then usable to group all of the postings, is a vast improvement and I thank the moderator for making this change. The only suggestion I would now make is that the letters: "SHOE" are affixed at the start of each posting so that it is possible to recognise these when they arrive. And let me concur with others in agreeing that this list is a wonderful service to historians of economics and is greatly appreciated. We are all in debt to the moderator for his efforts in controlling this traffic.


Dr Steven Kates
School of Economics, Finance
    and Marketing
RMIT University
Level 12 / 239 Bourke Street
Melbourne Vic 3000

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