Discussion Lists

If you participate in discussion lists, which allow advertising, or you maintain "Bulk Emailing Lists", please don’t make a pest of yourself. If your name is seen too often, then some people will NEVER join you. They will send unsubscribe requests. If you are on a

discussion list, people may unsubscribe or just ignore you. Make yourself a pest and you will defeat yourself. This is called loss of mind share. Another reason some people are tolerant of un-solicited e-mail is that all it takes is a couple of keystrokes and offending mail is gone.

If they do not like what the person is sending (such as, solicitation to visit or receive pornography) they are willing to write a polite email and ask to be deleted from their mailing list. I have never been refused. Perhaps Mr. Internet BEAR has a use after all.

One type of Bulk E-mail is acceptable for all occasions. This Bulk E-mail is one where a person has asked to be placed on the list. It is this type of e-mail whether it is a newsletter or a discussion list that has always been accepted on the Internet.