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From: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 10:46:17 -0400
Fwd Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 10:46:17 -0400
Subject: Re: State Of The List





>From: "Leanne Martin" <leanne_martin@hotmail.com>
>To: updates@globalserve.net
>Subject: State Of The List
>Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 22:51:40 PDT

>Dear EBK and subscribers,

>As a relative newcomer to the list I have enjoyed reading many of
>the items that cross my path as a member. However, I must say
>that I am heartily sick of the constant bickering (he said/she
>said verbiage) that clutters my in-tray. Most of it from the
>on-going British debacle.

As you say, you're "a relative newcomer to the list". Your
observation has come up a couple of times in the past.....

UFO UpDates started life as a small BBS here in Toronto, trying
to bring world-wide UFO news and information to its subscribers.

In many ways moving the information was a frustrating experience.
The old 'FIDO Computer Network' was _almost_ world-wide and
painfully slow. Messages would move across the network, from BBS
to BBS, taking as much as 48 hours to reach their destination.

Most of the posters to the UFO 'Echoes' (as the channels on the
networks were known back then) were, first and foremost,
computer-enthusiasts - their UFO knowledge based mostly on books,
a few UFO magazines, newsletters, trashy-tabloids and itinerant
lecturers. It was difficult for me back then, to sort the valid
from the invalid.

With the growth of the Net, the advent of The Web and the seeming
simplicity of computers, my Atari based UpDates BBS' days were
clearly numbered. I bought my first PC and started surfing.

The news.groups were a mix of the informed, theorists, skeptics,
flamers, de-bunkers and the rationally-impaired. I spent hundreds
of hours trying to sift for nuggets. Clearly there was the need
of a List for those seriously-interested in UFOs and related
phenomena.

I kicked-the-tires (tyres, for English-writing subscribers) of
several names for the new List, even considering calling it
'Educating Errol'. UpDates seemed elegantly simple. And that's
what it became.

There are those who feel that this List should only concern
itself with UFOs. Period. That discussion of all facets of the
phenomena not be 'allowed'. My intent was never to limit
discussions here. Unfortunately, there have been occasions when
I've had to step-in and outright ban a couple of people because
of their style or nonsense-quotient. For the most part, the
atmosphere here has been fairly liberal.

There are subscribers to UpDates who 'cut their Internet-chops'
here and started their own very specifically-oriented UFO Lists.
They're doing wonderful work and are contributing hugely to UFO
research. They still read the posts to this List.

UpDates are read, literally, around the world by people who
'want to know'. I estimate that of the several hundred who
subscribed to UpDates in its first year, a full 80% of them
will read this post. They want to know, as I do, about fellow
researchers, investigators, writers, etc. No matter where.
Europe, Asia, Africa, The Americas.

>Could those users who have an argument about what another user
>may or may not have said about them PLEASE TAKE THEIR ARGUING
>INTO THE PRIVATE DOMAIN!!

The 'arguments', were they to be taken to private E-Mail, would
reveal nothing to the rest of us. No hint of perhaps hidden
agendas, no clue as to the mind set of various 'name' ufologists.
No _real_, behind-the-scenes information which might help us
come to conclusions about all of 'this' a tad quicker.

>Sorry for yelling, it's just that I joined this list to partake
>in serious discourse and not to waste my valuable time with this
>sort of trash.

The discourse here _is_ serious Leanne. It has caused many
readers to review their opinions about people and incidents in
ufology, pro and con. And that's one of the reasons for UpDates'
existence. Informed 'discourse'. Sometimes tedious, sometimes
exhilarating. Boring? Very seldom. And there's always the
'Delete-key'

>I suggest that by allowing it to continue it may have contributed
>to the the drop off in subscriptions as noted in your recent
>'State OF The List' address. I'm certainly reconsidering mine...

>>o Since its inception on March 1st 1996 has had almost 2,000
>>  subscribers.

>>o Currently the number lurks a tad under 1,OOO

Actually, I didn't note a drop-off. I merely reported 'churn'.

Turnover is inevitable. Many kids and adults looking to be
entertained, 'gee-whizzed'. Many preferring to graze the UpDates
Archive established by Glenn Campbell at Ufomind.com rather than
have their mailboxes "flooded" with "stuff". Many discovering
that most UFO Lists are forums for serious discussion, rather
than simple news sources.

As I wrote earlier, the majority of early subscribers to UpDates
are still here. Albeit, lurking.

>Notwithstanding the above, please keep up the good work.

Thanks Leanne. I hope I've addressed your concerns and that
you're not too un-happy with this response.

>Regards,

And to you too.

>Ms Leanne Martin
>Computer Engineer @ WANG GLOBAL Australia

Errol Bruce-Knapp,
Moderator/Operator
UFO UpDates - Toronto