Dear All, I've been giving some thought to Ken Hixon's question to me found under Yellow Delphiniums. > In other words, what do you see as the role of the PBS list? It >surely serves different people in different ways. Running a list is >"about like trying to herd cats" to quote someone, but which ways would >you like to herd these cats? It is true that technically I "own" this list along with Arnold and Jennifer who help me, but I don't think any of us really like that term very much. I see my responsibility more as helping people who need assistance getting signed up or figuring out how to go to no mail or get the digest or to figure out how to send text messages, etc. It is important to me that our list be friendly and inclusive and open to anyone who is interested in the subject at hand. I see it as a source of information about geophytes, so that includes information about where they are found and the latest in what the taxonomists would like us to call them. We have a gardening focus so there will be conversations about soils, microclimates, fertilizers, diseases, pests, and plants we can grow with them. I believe most of the time people do stay on topic and when they do not, usually it doesn't last long. We have people from all over the world and we have a mix of beginners, gardeners who grow a few bulbs but that is not their primary focus, experienced growers, garden writers, taxonomists, collection holders, botanists, people who work at botanical gardens, and people who make their living selling plants (including bulbs or seeds and other plants as well.) We also have a large number of lurkers who I don't know anything about at all. I have been impressed at the helpful thoughtful responses that come from our members. With such a broad mix there will always be topics that will appeal more to some people than to others. Over time I think when you are on a list like this one where you are sharing with others you become a community or as Dave Fenwick once said like family so I expect that sometimes information will be shared about other members of the community so we can reach out to them. If someone is traveling to an area and wants information about where to go I see this as another example of turning to the people in this community for assistance. As for what specifically we talk about, I think that will be whatever people choose to bring up. I just can't imagine I'd have much control over that and so the term "herding cats" seems a great analogy. If anyone has a question about anything geophytic, then it is fair game. I'm not going to say to anyone that they can't talk about Clivia because there already is a list for that or Trillium, Lilium, Oxalis, or any of the other genera that have their own list. I never know what will be of interest to our members. In choosing topics of the week I go by suggestions made to me and my knowledge of whether we might have a resource person in our group who can provide us information. At first it didn't look like yellow flowered bulbs was going to be very popular, but then it took off and from my stand point was one of the best discussions with offset topics on color. That was partly because so many different people participated. I'm already looking forward to discussing some of the other colors later in the year, but it is entirely possible that when I do not many people will respond. I try to pull people into the conversation as many of you have noticed when I know they have answers to questions. I'm not always successful in this but I try. Everyone is encouraged to turn the conversation to what they want to talk about. Sometimes you'll get something going and sometimes not. Sometimes if no one responds the first time, they will if you ask again. So if you want to discuss geophytic Salvias, Fuchsias, Geraniums, Pelargoniums--you name it, it is allowed. If I think about the private messages I have felt I needed to write as administrator of this list I have had to write only a couple of times asking people to keep the tone polite. I asked someone who was appending jokes at the end of a post not to. I frequently ask people not to include the whole previous subject in their post alas! I occasionally remind people not to be commercial since that is not allowed on ibiblio. Most people are really good about writing private messages privately instead of posting them on the list. If that got to be a problem I'd try to address it. But I do think we can all use the delete key for those messages that are not of interest. Every now and then some message that should have been private touches someone else so something good comes out of it. I am very appreciative of our wiki. It means we can all be together on our list regardless of whether we have a fast connection. Those people who are interested in seeing examples of what we are talking about can go look at them and those people who could care less can just delete the post. It also gives people who do not have a web site of their own a place to add their pictures and makes it easy to find the information and a picture later after the discussion. The pbs list in my mind belongs to everyone who is a member of it and so what it becomes depends on all of you. Mary Sue PBS List Administrator, Wiki Worker, TOW Coordinator (Whew!)