BRITARCH vs BARJs

[angi]

I finally got around to joining the BRITARCH mailing list a week or so ago and, apart from the format which is a pain in the behind, I have to say that I have never witnessed that amount of b*tch-slapping pedantry in my life! [:0] I am rarely shocked but it's like a Coventry nightclub at closing time over there... but with bigger words.

I have half a mind to leave the list but I have received one or two useful bits of information, so I shall probably keep hitting the 'delete' button for a while longer.

We, on BAJR, have our moments but it has surprised me no end how well behaved we are in comparison to our (apparently) more 'highbrow' colleagues over there! :face-confused:

Up the BAJRs :face-approve:

[angi]

oh dear.. I was so busy muttering nastiness that I forgot how to spell BAJR in the title, but I am sure you know what I meant [:I]

[Paul Belford]

Well they are all mad.

For the last 10 years or so Britarch has essentially been a fighting forum for the extremist pro- and anti- metal detecting and collecting arguments. Paul Barford bravely fights the archaeological corner against a succession of various shady dealers in illicit antiquities. Sadly Mr. Barford's own views have, I feel, become more and more extreme over the years in opposition to these people, and by perpetuating arguments in a vituperative fashion he does not always represent his own case quite so well. It is a shame, however, because he is essentially correct in most of what he says.

Sadly most sensible people (of which I consider myself one) have now left the list so he is in a corner all on his own.

Otherwise there are three or four people who regularly post, but rarely on archaeological matters. There is one nutter who continually raises the issue of global warming (because he doesn't believe it), another one who seems obsessed by his own web-based radio station and the Hampshire police force, and there is always someone who misunderstands place names. There used to be a hippy/new-age contingent as well who often sent emails in some Celtic language or other, but that source of amusement seems to have given up altogether in the last couple of years.

There are a couple of genuine archaeological queries every month, and it is a good place to find announcements of events, publications, conferences and sometimes even jobs (which is why I pop in from time to time).

[drpeterwardle]

I have to say that I totally disagree about what everybody has said about Britarch it is a good resources I have been reading it and contibuting to it for many years.

Britarch is about British archaeology and is an academic discussion list aimed at academics.

BAJR compliments this by taking away all the rants about pay conditions and standards.

Peter Wardle

[Beardstroker]

I rarely look at it now, but I get the impression that quite a few of the more level headed people that used to post over there have now abandoned it,mainly due to the boorish behaviour of one or two of the regular posters. I was one who fled in disgust last year after tiring of finding 10 million emails in my Inbox every morning, about effing Metal Dectecting

And I agree about the format too. Email mailing lists are pretty much a thing of the past as far as internet discussion is concerned, I gather, although I suppose it is rather ironic that a bunch of archaeologists are still using a format that's about 10 years out of date[xx(]

[angi]

quote:Originally posted by drpeterwardle

I have to say that I totally disagree about what everybody has said about Britarch it is a good resources I have been reading it and contibuting to it for many years.

Britarch is about British archaeology and is an academic discussion list aimed at academics.

BAJR compliments this by taking away all the rants about pay conditions and standards.

Peter Wardle

I think that it COULD be a fantastic resource (and I have only been reading it for a very short while), but to get to the great information I have had to wade through so many posts that would be classed as spam on any other Forum! It's seems such a shame to me.

I could never be classed as an academic, but I have been on more vocal committees and forums etc. than you could shake the proverbial stick at and I have never seen anything like it! Reading some of the tirades makes me feel like a dinnerlady in a primary school playground.

[angi]

quote:Originally posted by Beardstroker
And I agree about the format too. Email mailing lists are pretty much a thing of the past as far as internet discussion is concerned, I gather, although I suppose it is rather ironic that a bunch of archaeologists are still using a format that's about 10 years out of date[xx(]

It does take me back to the 90s I assume that it's still used because so many companies and councils prevent internet access for their employees. I am considering setting up a new e-mail address just for that purpose, though, as I have to plough through my inbox to check for other emails!

[Oxbeast]

Usually you can set up a filter in your inbox, so that list mails get diverted into a subfolder. I think in Outlook's settings its under 'rules'. You can do this with most good web-based mail as well, like Hotmail.

The format is due to it being part of JISC, the Joint Information and Standards Council, which puts it firmly in academia. Most discussion lists are not as busy as Britarch, though I think that its main problem is that it is much harder to moderate a discussion list.

[BAJR Host]

Moderation thats the name of the game... :0

Britarch is soemthing which could be good.. and sometimes is... but...BUT you often give up before you find something... I have often been told that if you ask a sensible question, that does not involve knowing a reference to a 1952 obscure book - say about Arcaheology in Croatia - and who is doing what there (I do now) you get silence.. I too got bored with it... and the constant attacks... as to PB... he kind of brought it on himself.. he became such a foaming extremist, that you dare not agree with him, lest you be seen as a foaming extremist to... and if you disagree... gawd help you... Britarch is often a cruel place.. and thats where moderation comes in...

But heyy ... one is a Forum one is an email list... there must be a place for both... one for archaeologists and one for academics

"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers

[angi]

Well, I'll just stick to lurking over there! I know I can whitter away on here to my heart's content with no lasting effects :face-stir: