Lets all use the IRC channel for once

[Walter Dnes]

  This isn't a rant against IRC, so please don't take it personally, but
an email list has some major advantages over IRC.  IRC is OK for live
communication, but not everybody can be on at the same time, plus I'm
not exactly a fast typist.  Over the years, I've graduated from being a
hunt-n-peck 2-finger typist, to a 4-finger (plus thumbs for spacebar)
typist.  And you don't really want to even think about "texting" with me
on a cellphone.  Let's just say "I don't get it" when it comes to the
"texting" obsession.  I recently joined the 21st century, and got the
basic Virgin Mobile "minute-2-minute" plan.  At $3.75+GST per month (if
you use it infrequently), it can't be beat for emergency use.  And you
get to carry over unused credits if you top up on time (or even better,
go with auto-top-up).

  - Email enables TIVO-like "timeshifting".  This gives me time to
    compose a readable reply.  This not only helps the slow typists, but
    allows one to do offline research ("googling") before replying to
    questions.

  - Email exchanges can be longer and more much more detailed than a
    series of one-liners.  Could you even begin to write your plea in
    your original message on IRC?  And of course, you can attach files.

  - Email exchanges can be in parallel, whereas IRC is serial, i.e. only
    one person typing at a time

  IRC has its place, and where immediacy is required it's nice, but
one-size-does-not-fit-all.

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes-SLHPyeZ9y/tg9hUCZPvPmw at public.gmane.org> In linux /sbin/init is Job #1
My musings on technology and security at http://tech_sec.blog.ca
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