Fiona wrote:

A lot of good and well-taken points, although I think the subject-heading-changing could also be taken as an opportunity for amusing and entertaining creativity (see above)

<G> Alas, I am not that creative.

In evidence I submit my totally inappropriate, totally blah subject header "Question," which I created because Sally had asked us to please delete her name from headers.

Not me, or, as I said before, if I've said something that could be taken this way, <Slave> I most humbly and abjectly apologise, madam </Slave>

Since I'm the one who said misunderstandings are best avoided by quoting, I've pulled up one of your quotes on the subject:

We were talking about carrying on with our "serious" discussions, which are not to everyone's taste, hijack-free, and I don't particularly see any reason why we shouldn't have "serious" discussions openly on the list, even if not everyone responds or even read

It's the "hijack-free" that seems to be the crux of the problem. It seems to suggest a degree of censorship. So if someone reading a "serious" discussion thought of a wisecrack response, he/she should muffle it or change the heading, putting an extra burden on that person.

Because of what I've been saying. You *can't* have serious without silly, or silly without seriousness. I mean, when FC started, Avon Lust on the Lyst didn't die, did it?

Exactly. And serious threads are not going to evaporate from the lyst if a serious list is started. There are many posters here who enjoy a mix of serious and fun, and they are going to keep posting serious right here to lyst. What will transfer to the serious list are discussions between posters who don't want those silly interruptions. Some of those threads might start out on the lyst and be transferred over to serious, as topics are moved to the spin list.

While you can't realize it because you're not on FC, some threads from the lyst are transferred to FC, where slash and drool and character discussions don't offend anyone. It's done quietly and without fuss. Just a "I think it's more appropriate to say this on FC."

What it comes down to is how irritating hijacking is to you and others who have been bothered. If/when it gets irritating enough, you'll form a spin off list. Until then you're going to have resign yourselves to business as usual.

"There are a total of three mailing lists for B7.

Actually there are lot more than three right now. And other fandoms, I've been told, support many more than three, with some of them very highly specialized. Lists devoted to one character, etc. I'm sure there is overlap on those as well.

Hope this provided some entertainment,

It did. Thanks. It's always important to keep one's sense of humor.

Section-Leader Fiona Moore, M.Phil (Oxon)

Since I am a Godmother, however, I outrank you. :)

By the way, I think Penny's promotion to "Queen" of F.I.N.A.L.A.C.T. went unnoticed by many during our recent noisy period. But I noticed. And I'll be keeping an eye on future developments. I will not be outranked. ;)

Carol Mc