> I watched this list for about a month after joining before I posted my first > message, trying to get a feel for the local etiquette. Ah, I see you are already practicing proper list etiquette. Hmm... maybe some will rub off on me....:) > I have a few questions, if anyone cares to share an opinion: An opinion? On this list? <grin> > 1. When I reply to a message on this list, should I be replying to both the > user and the mailing list, or just the list? I realize when I only want to > reply to the user, but I'm talking about when I want my reply posted back to > the list. I try to remember to delete the name of the person I'm replying to, but often don't. I don't think it's that big of a deal, personally. I get doubles sometimes, and just delete them. One more email to delete out of the tens or hundreds I delete/move anyway isn't something to harp about. (Hey, ya said ya wanted opinions!:) > 2. I recently sent in a couple of very large messages; they were large > because they were attempts to "deduce" the geography of Dragaera by using a > lot of text quotes from the novels, and explaining my subsequent deductions > as clearly as possible without, hopefully, being pedantic. Should I limit > my posts to a certain size (ie, break up long posts into shorter ones)? > This is an important question, as I am preparing to post more such > "geographical deductions"... Not sure about this one. I don't much care about the size, and there's always the chance that I'll get "Geographical deductions #2" before "#1" if it's broken up, so I'd just post one message. If it's really long, I'll print it out and read it on my break, if I want to (though I'll admit this is not possible for many...:). > 3. What is the proper way to refer to the author we're here for? I've been > using "Mr. Brust", but I've seen "Steve" used quite a few times. I don't > know the man, so I'm not entirely comfortable assuming it's okay to refer to > him by his first-name (in the third-person, even). Has he previously > expressed a preference? Well, I believe there are actually a couple of Steves on this list, so it's nice to refer to the correct one--but then, I judge by the context of the email. I believe Steven Brust goes by Steve or Steven, and doesn't mind being referred to by either, even if some of us do put him on a pedestal and feel the term "God" doesn't quite do him justice....:) Of course, then he tosses in one of his little "treats", and then I'm inclined to call him a Rat Bastard<tm>, but it's meant in the best possible way (as a member of Rat Bastards of America myself:). Never call him late for a good Hungarian dinner, though. :0 Chris "Blind man's night is music to the deaf, and everyone has *two* paths, not one, whence comes tragedy and comedy, forsooth and damn straight, son." - "The Gypsy" - Brust & Lindholm