Foreign language posts (was: Pooomooocyyyy ;()

[Greg 'groggy' Lehey]

On Tuesday, 17 January 2006 at 13:38:39 -0500, Bob Johnson wrote:
> On 1/17/06, Wojciech Puchar <wojtek at tensor.3miasto.net> wrote:
>> TO JEST ANGIELSKA LISTA MAILOWA. POSZUKAJ POLSKIEJ
>>
>> This is english mailing list, not Polish.
>>
>
> Historically, this has not been an English-only list.  Questions in
> any language have been welcome on this list for the nine years that I
> have subscribed.  Why people suddenly believe this has become an
> English-only list is a mystery to me.  Perhaps one of you xenophobes
> can explain it to me?

Simple: you misunderstand.

Over the eleven years I've been on this list, I've seen a handful of
foreign-language messages.  Everyone has prompted a "please write in
English" response.

> Why does it bother you so much to see someone post in a language you
> cannot read?  Why can't you just ignore it, just as you ignore other
> questions that you aren't able to answer?

It's a question of signal to noise ratio.  It also doesn't help the
sender as much as sending it to the correct list.

Greg
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