You're probably right, Carl. A university listserv would be better. It would have a better system and there wouldn't be all the ads and pop-ups. Yet, by having both kinds of listservs available WS wise, a wider audience/subscriber base can be maintained while at the same time keeping the same level of issue/intellectual integrity we have come to expect on CSF. And, better yet, both lists could be linked with each other whereby the members on one could be kept informed as to what was going on via the other forum.
As to Topica, it may have the same problems as with Yahoo as well as others. I've only run into a few system glitches with my own Consilience-P list at times; but ask Micheal Pugliese - he has apparently run into more.
But, still I think having a side list format like what was done for Longwaves is a very good idea; and the Yahoo/Topica systems can very much sustain the format
With respect to other lists - (I mentioned importing WSN subscriptions to a forum - like mine - soley out of convenience). Only by implication was this tied to doing it with other lists. You're correct; merging with other groups could cause both technical and non-technical problems as to topics, list climate, etc.
Yet, I really don't see why it would be a problem for people individually and in small groups. LWSIDE1 and the other groups, in their material, do have close links to the material we discuss in World Systems on WSN. And, again, the potential for good interdisciplinary dialogue would be immense if people decide to follow such routes.
Thanks again, Carl, for replying and giving your two cents on my proposals. And, apologies to all for my typo in my last message. This is, I believe, the second time I believe I botched the spelling of P-R-I-G-O-G-I-N-E's name. Stupid mistake. Thank goodness for having editors for writing books and articles; otherwise I might end up getting tossed back all the way to grammar school for these things. Sheesh. (Luke R)
My 2 cents regarding Yahoo - not to be recommended. It's a commercial listserv, which includes commercials at the end of each email sent. We recently moved our student mailing list from Yahoo due to this, and the fact that Yahoo as a company earn money on selling this ad space. Some students were not too keen on discussing US hegemony while indirectly nourishing a US company such as Yahoo! while doing so.
To run WSN on a university listserv would therefore be preferable - PISM or IROWS perhaps? Merging our group with another group, no matter how closely related they are, could pose problems in a multitude of ways - "debate climate", topics etc.
/Carl
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