the list, the digest, and newbies

["John S. Quarterman" <jsq@mids.org>]

>Hi
>Being a newbie with this digest, I hav noticed that the posts I am
>receiving, are
>repeated continuosly in the same email data...Is there a reason why?

Because people quote previous messages in their messages.
This is a good thing for providing context.
However, it is also good to trim quoted text down to only
that which is directly relevant to your current message.
For example, you quoted an entire digest, which may have
been more than what was necessary to illustrate your point.

>Thanks for a reply, Tim

Regarding newbies, this is a novice list, and an expert list, both at once.

I don't think there is anyone on here who knows everything about every topic
that is discussed.  Topics range from

* basic research and analysis that changes accepted wisdom, such as
Karen Matheson's Argyll paper
 http://www.mids.org/sinclair/argyll.html
and ongoing discussion about Argyll and the Spanish Armada

* to trip reports involving events long ago and far away,
as with Iain Laird's Pillarguri Days report,
 http://www.mids.org/sinclair/pillarguri.html
or recent but echoing of the remote past, as with
Sinclair de la Behottiere's report on the Feast of Saint Clair
 http://www.mids.org/sinclair/feastofsaintclair.html

* to reexamination of more familiar events, such as the Battle of Teba
 http://www.mids.org/sinclair/battleofteba.html
and even the Battle of Bannockburn
 http://www.mids.org/sinclair/battleofbannockburn.html

* to reports on games in the states and Canada

* to discussions of Canadian Inns (I really must get that one into
the web pages)

* to genealogical investigations of particular families or persons
that only a few people in the world may know about, but those few
people may be on this list.

* to many other topics far too numerous to enumerate here.

Nobody already knows all these things.  That's why we are here.
This list is what its participants make it.

Recent postings demonstrate that if you ask, usually somebody will answer.
If you participate, you will be welcomed.

John S. Quarterman <jsq@mids.org>
[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@mids.org
[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html