From: "Douglas Richardson" <royalancestry@msn.com>
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.medieval,soc.history.medieval,alt.history.british
To: <gen-medieval@rootsweb.com>
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 6:12 AM
Subject: Sensible crossposting to genealogical and historical newsgroups
Yes, Todd, we see things differently. For one thing, I'm a trained
historian, which you are not.
====Douglas, I think it was years ago that someone pointed out that "trained
historian" is an awkward term to use. You train horses, dogs, whereas people
are educated.
That is why I crosspost to both
genealogical and historical newsgroups.
===== I seem to remember that a long time ago you were asked _not_ to
crosspost, and to achieve your aim, were asked to send your message to one
group, re-call it and then send it on to another group. _I think_ I can
understand why. Imagine you found a piece of information about a tomb in a
churchyard from the medieval times. You crosspost to gen-med as well as the
medieval bricklayers group (the jolly cobblers). Your information is
gratefully received by both, but then the subject slightly changes as it is
highjacked by someone and either group has no more interest, they are
inflicted with messages they are not interested in. At the same time gen-med
receives highly technical bricklaying e-mails and they don't want or need to
know, if an individual would be interested they could/should join the jolly
cobblers as well.
As far as I can tell from
available Google guidelines, it is my right to simultaneously post to
more than one group.
=========== If Gen-Med requests _not_to crosspost, but the local postman
says 'nothing wrong with that', you listen to the postman?
So I do so. In this instance, my various
corrections to ODNB, DNB, and Complete Peerage fall into the category
of being BOTH genealogical AND historical in nature. It's as simple
as that.
==========I do appreciate all your messages in this regard, but Gen-Med
_does_ cover genealogical and historical subjects, covering all your
grounds. Why drag in the jolly cobblers in other groups. If a specific
message would be appreciated by another group, why not send it separate?
It would only be a simple small but courteous action on your behalf.
Whatever the case, I certainly don't crosspost to irritate you,
although you seem to pretend that I do. This is just a thought but
perhaps your negative and cynical attitude is why virtually no other
published historians are willing to post to your
soc.genealogy.medieval newsgroup.
=========This I think is highly unfair. It is not the behaviour of Todd that
has driven away those French, Dutch, Danish, Polish etc. contributors, that
blame lies elsewhere. Very much so. I know that Todd does not like me, but
that does not mean I stand by when he is given blame he does not deserve.
With regard to the current matter, yes, I possess additional
unpublished original material regarding the Gardiner family. However,
rather than post it here, I've decided to publish it elsewhere in a
reputable historical journal. As such, I'm unable to say much beyond
the following bland statements: Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of
Winchester, was not the son of William Gardiner and Ellen Tudor. And,
William Gardiner and Ellen Tudor had only one son, Thomas Gardiner,
who was Prior to Tynemouth, Northumberland from 1528 to 1536.
======= I think this is a great contribution on your behalf, very much
appreciated by many, I am sure. I am lucky that I didn't have Stephen
Gardiner in my website. Just imagine the vultures descending on me
In the meantime, please know that I appreciate all of your hard work
and Don's on our behalf to keep the newsgroup functioning in good
working order.
====== This seems a rather disingenuous "compliment" first you accuse Todd
of keeping away "published historians" and now you say he helps keeping the
newsgroup functioning in good working order. If your accusation about the
published historians, then, in my opinion, Todd would not do a good job.
What is the good of having a group "in good working order" when all the
people who can contribute are encouraged to go elsewhere?
Again, that "encouragement" lies at the feet of other people.
With best wishes,
Leo van de Pas