Kenneth Stagg wrote:

> Nathan Lindsey wrote:
> >
> > Pehaps y'all would consider this. Traffic on weekends is typically pretty
slow on
> > the list. Most all of us are in Flea Market Mode on the weekends as well.
> >
> > How about simply limiting the FS and WTB posts to each weekend. Whatever
> > discussion these posts spark can go on the rest of the week.
>
> Well, no.  Some of the reasons that weekends tend to be so light might
> be:
> 1) Some people only have access from work/school.  This wouldn't work
> well for them.
> 2) Spending more time with the Family Unit.  I'd just as soon not get
> involved in divorce proceedings :-)
> 3) Some people use that time to go out and actually hunt for the rusty
> items that they're going to sell.
>

Ken et al,

If the posts are made each weekend there is no urgency in downloading and
reading them.
We would not necessarily have to man our computers on the weekend. Go to work
on Monday
and chose to read the weekend discussions or the weekend FS/WTB posts. If you
find a
tool you want make the transaction first thing Monday or when ever you get
around to
it.

At least this way we would have relative control of the increase in traffic and
would
not be sorting out or filtering out the posts we want to read all week long. On
e
sorting session each Monday morning would take care of the increased traffic
and likely
prevent daily conversations, discussions and questions from being overlooked as
they
might be if mixed with high volume commercial traffic.

The analogy of WTB/FS posts to spam is not valid for most of us because we
enjoy tool
shopping but I could deal with spam a lot better if it only came on the weekend
s
instead of three or four everyday. I might even stop to see if any of it
interests me.

I don't see that the limited workday access is a valid argument against limitin
g
commercial posts to weekends. If it's happening every week the urgency we see
on the
once a month FMM just won't be there and the whole process would seem to be
much more
relaxed.

As for the posting process, those with limited weekday access could program
their
browser to send the FS/WTB post at some specific time on Saturday in their
absence or
simply allow the posts to begin Friday afternoon. The goal of a one time sort
and
filter on Monday morning is still accomplished.

FWIW