[lug] Somewhat OT: Types of list email

[Michael D. Hirsch]

On Monday 24 November 2003 09:58 pm, Chris Riddoch wrote:
> Hi, folks.
>
> I'd like some input on a project.  The goal of my project (for my
> thesis, actually) is to make a summarizer for high-traffic email
> lists. 

Cool-o!

> The following is a list of completions for the sentence:
>
> People post an email to a list in order to...
>
> question - Ask a question ("How do I...")
> answer - Provide an answer or suggest a solution ("Here's how...")
> correct - Correct someone or Correct oneself ("Whoops, I meant...")
> propose - Inform people of an intent to do something, or to propose an idea
> ("I'd like to...") raise - Raise an issue without intent ("What do people
> think of...") metoo - Echo someone ("Yeah, I'd say the same...")
> inform - Comment factually on issue, intent, or proposal ("You'd want to
> know...") opinion - Comment with an opinion about an issue or proposal ("I
> think that...") agree - Indicate agreement with a proposal (sub of opinion)
> ("I agree that...") disagree - Indicate disagreement with a proposal (sub
> of opinion) ("I disagree...") thanks - Politiness - appreciation
> ("Thanks...")
> welcome - Politeness - confirmation ("You're welcome...")
> meta - Meta-discussion ("This conversation is...")
> flame - Baiting or responding to bait in kind ("Y'all're a bunch of
> idiots...") noise - Say something that wasn't intended for the list
> humor - Say something funny
> admin - Related to list management ("Unsubscribe me...")
> chirp - See if the list is working ("It's quiet. Can you hear me?...")

How about 

survey - Ask a question for the purpose of collecting and collating answers 
for statistical purposes.  (May be hard to distiguish from question, I 
guess.)
troll - post a deliberately inflammatory comment to attract flames.

Sounds like a great project.  I wish you success.

Michael