I have been on the FML for about 2 years now.  Yes, the traffic has
grown tremendously!  But, I remember a time when I would read the FML,
read the Usenet "alt.pets", and respond to individual e-mails.  Now, I
feel pretty safe that any significant ferret topics are discussed here
on the FML and I have discontinued using the Usenet.
 
I have seen thousands of the same topics come up over and over, so I
just scan the subject line and skip it if it doesn't sound like
something I want to spend the time reading.  Sometimes, heaven forbid,
I look at the subjects at the top of each issue and if I don't see
anything new and interesting I delete it right there and then!
 
This list is very well moderated.  I am on some other non-ferret
related mailing lists that are usually 5 times as long as this digest.
A quarter of the posts are people sending sub and un-sub requests to
the wrong address (i.e.  lots of articles to wade through to get to
the relevent stuff).
 
In short, I think it is still to soon to complain about the length of
the list.  My suggestion is to use good subject line headers.  I don't
even consider reading it if the subject is: "Ferret Digest # - 31 Mar
1995 - 1 Apr 1995" or "Ferrets" etc.  I know it is fascinating to read
each and every article, but after you read 100 articles over a years
period all dealing with the same subject, you can probably know
exactly word for word what is in the 101th article by only reading the
subject.
_____________________________________________________
Christopher D.  Guinn 04 CPE - Auburn University
[log in to unmask] http://www.eng.auburn.edu/users/guinncd/
_____________________________________________________
[Posted in FML issue 1153]