multiposting and crossposting

[Jamie Martin]

Hi,

I was just reading in someone's signature that crossposting can be OK but
multiposting is not. I want to do right, so let's make sure I understand:
Crossposting would be posting the same question in multiple groups, and
multiposting would be posting several messages related to the same question
(not on the same thread)?

Best,

Jamie

 

[Ken Wright]

Either way the same people tend to read the same groups. Some are OK about it and some aren't,
opinions differ, and each have a point. What posting to different groups will do though is
fragment any answers you get back. People can reply to all and hit all the groups you posted to,
but doesn't always happen. This also means you have to go check each of those groups to see if
you got a response.

In general, if you post any non vba question to either .misc or worksheet.functions you will get
the same people read it and give you an answer. If you have a vba question you are generally
better off posting to .programming, but will get an answer whatever group you post it to, and
again it will as likely be by the same people.

The one thing everyone agrees on (See, there is at least one thing), is that no-one wants to see
attachments posted to any of the groups. These are text groups, not binary groups, and most
people will simply filter out any note with an attachment, so there is usually little chance of it
getting an answer if you do.

 

[Harlan Grove]

I was just reading in someone's signature that crossposting can be OK but
multiposting is not. I want to do right, so let's make sure I understand:
Crossposting would be posting the same question in multiple groups, and
multiposting would be posting several messages related to the same question
(not on the same thread)?

It was my usual signature (that I don't always use).

The major advocate *against* crossposting in these newsgroups clearly went
through a period when he didn't understand the difference between
crossposting and multiposting. From his website:

"Don't cross post. The people who answer your question generally frequent
several groups. Posting in multiple groups results in duplicated effort
without the benefit of previous answers in a thread."

Only multiposted articles result in duplicated effort. Crossposted articles
read in one newsgroup using competently designed newsreader programs (such
as Outlook Express, but there are many others) are marked as read in all
other newsgroups. Thus, no problem.

Some newsreader programs are inherently stupid (e.g., AOL's), and support
posting to only a single newsgroup at a time. However, since it's possible
to use other newsreader programs in conjunction with AOL, thus abandon AOL's
newsreader, it'd be a more efficient use of many persons' time to mention
this to AOL users rather than bemoan crossposting.

That said, nothing gained by crossposting to .misc and
..worksheet.functions - the same people read and respond in both. There's
somewhat better reason for crossposting to either of those and .programming
for questions involving VBA because there are a lot of regular respondents
in .programming who don't seem to participate at all in the other Excel
newsgroups.

If you like the exotic, crossposting to microsoft.public.excel.* newsgroups
*AND* comp.apps.spreadsheets has been known to turn up helpful respondents
in the latter ng who never read the former. [There actually are spreadsheet
users who don't use Excel, and from time to time they have novel insight
into Excel problems.] Finally, crossposting Automation questions to Excel
and scripting/programming language newsgroups is certain to get your
question read by a much broader group than posting only to one or the other.

Given the frequency of unremarked crossposting between comp.unix.shell and
comp.lang.perl.misc, two newsgroups frequented by people who seldom if ever
have qualms about flaming improper conduct, it makes the concerns about
crossposting in the Excel newsgroups seem rather quaint.