abbreviations

From: Matthew <matthew.cole_at_...>
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2002 15:06:39 +0100

Hi Everyone

I would like to make a request.

I have come to believe that this list is becoming too exclusive. That we're not allowing so-called 'outsiders' access or at least that entry is being made, unwittingly, difficult.

To what am I referring? Well, it's the common use of encoded abbreviations. For example: YGMV, RW, UW etc.

I know all the reasons *for* using these codes but they are just that - *codes* - and are therefore exclusive to those that already know what they mean. Also, I know that people could ask what is meant but for those with 56k modems it means more up/downloading.

I'm not one to complain without offering a solution; two spring to mind...

1. Put a translation of abbreviations at the end of your post
2. A moderator could upload all the common ones to the egroup files section.

I know both of these require some effort but not very much really. To do it right, in my opinion, we should do both.

BTW (!) we have to decide what to do with webspeke ones like BTW, FWIW, IMO etc. They are, admittedly, commonly used across the web but are we really going to be a group where non-internet-savvy people are excluded to *any* extent. It would be easy to put a translation of all these terms in a central place.

I have looked back through the last thirty or so posts and have not found many uses of abbreviations. I believe this doesn't have very much significance, we still should make our posts accessible to *everyone*.

There have been quite a few occasions where I have stopped reading a post out of annoyance - not understanding the abbreviations. And I have been here quite a while!

What does everyone think?