I'm in agreement with the less than modern search capabilities with the archives,
but I want to remind everyone that:
1. Syracuse University has run our listserv, free of charge, since 1992. It is the
largest listserv that they have ever hosted.
2. The Information Institute, which has managed the archives since 1992, free of
charge, has gone from a staff of about 40 to about 1.5 people. I worked there for
10 years, have the deepest love and respect for the original Director, Mike
Eisenberg, and current Director, David Lankes, and I appreciate all the staff time
they have provided for LM_NET, free of charge. They do amazing things on a
shoestring budget.
3. The script used in the search function I believe dates from 1992 or maybe a few
years after that, but yes, it is primitive in comparison to modern technology. The
script was provided to us way back when, free of charge, at a time when it was
something a for-profit would have had to pay for.
This listserv is wildly successful, highly trafficked, and wonderfully supportive.
It is just that it takes volunteer time and free technical support and server
space, so unless there is a big infusion of financial aid, there won't be any
change to the current set-up.
I'd love to have a more robust search capability and would love to do some data
mining, but I'll continue to be grateful to a kind staff and institution who has
supported us for free for the past 17 years.
Blythe
Blythe Allison Bennett
Assistant Director, School Media Program
Director Summer Institute
School of Information Studies, Syracuse University
114 Hinds Hall
babennet@syr.edu
(315) 443-5445
LM_NET
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