Hi Eric,
Your skepticism and seditious thoughts are duly noted. I did think about the fact that this is a little more painful than sending out an e-mail and I certainly do not want to discourage people from e-mailing each other. The primary advantages I saw here were that everybody could read everything from everyone else, kind of like a collaborative newsletter. (And thus, if you have a private message, you SHOULD send it via e-mail.) I recognize that with a mailing list you can send messages to everybody on the list, but I hate to clutter up my mail box trying to follow a thread of a conversation or discussion (and what do you mean a searchable archive-your own or is something created in yahoo groups? The blog also has a searchable archive or so it is represented). I have some experience with e-mail lists at work where I am on at least two. I have thought about the issue of e-mail vs. blog some, because with one of the lists I am on, I never considered it an efficient method of accomplishing one of what I saw as the essential purposes of doing it in the first place (which is a central repository of the communications of the defense bar). But maybe I just don't understand mailing lists well enough.

And yes, the fundamental purpose here was to get us all to communicate, principally a selfish motive now that mom is there and not here! I am certainly willing to consider and have everyone else consider an mailing list. I have read a lot about blogs, probably because they are the new thing (I probably missed the mailing list phenomenon). Maybe you could educate us more on mailing lists and what they can do.
Love, Cathy

posted by Cathy Crandall at 10:20 AM