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Frequently Asked Questions - blackcat list

  1. What is the blackcat list?
  2. Why are you guys called "netters"?
  3. How do I join the list?
  4. What if I don't like being on the list?
  5. What if I go on vacation, and I don't want to come back to a thousand emails?
  6. What kind of messages are on the list?
  7. How often should I post?
  8. What's a lurker?
  9. What should I say?
  10. I hear you guys are friends with the band. Is this true?
  11. Does the band really have spies on the list, listening in on everything you guys say?
  12. Will being on the list give me special privileges?
    12a. Will I get backstage?
    12b. Will I meet the band?
    12c. Would they let me hang out with them after shows?
  13. How do you guys know so much if you don't work for the band?
  14. Did the netters know each other before they got online?
  15. What is the Chant Poll?

    What is the blackcat list?


    The blackcat list is an Internet Discussion group, using an email listserv, for fans of Blues Traveler. We are a community of several hundred dedicated fans. More information can be found at the list info page.


    Why are you guys called "netters"?


    The designation of netters predates the BluesTraveler.net web site, and simply comes from the fact that the group congregates here on the Internet. An interesting side note is that the band originally called the netters "the webbers", more reminiscent of a basketball player or a gas grill than the term we've come to know and love.


    How do I join the list?


    All you need to do is go to the listinfo page and enter your email address in the subscribe area. Decide whether you'd like to be on regular mail (receive messages as they are sent) or in digest format (one large email with several messages inside), and that's it. This and the next few questions can all be answered by looking at the listinfo page.


    What if I don't like being on the list?


    Leaving the list is as simple as getting on it in the first place - just visit the address above, enter your email into the space at the bottom, enter your password on the next page, and click "Unsubscribe".


    What if I go on vacation, and I don't want to come back to a thousand emails?


    Another easy task - visit the address above,enter your email into the space at the bottom, and click "Disable mail delivery" to "On". You will still have the ability to post to the list, but you will not receive any messages until you turn this option back on. This is also a good way of signing up an alternate email address to post from in case you do not have access to your main account.


    What kind of messages are on the list?


    Most list messages deal with a current thread, such as who you'd love to see jam onstage with the band, or something to that effect. During tours discussion is animated, with setlists, reviews, and such frequently seen. Once in a while there will be a message from someone relaying information from Gina, and often there are other topics as well. It's very interesting, and this website has even seen some letters with content worthy of literary honor. When the band is off the road, discussion tends to get a little sillier and off-topic, but in general, the tone is respectful - flaming and trolling are not tolerated and both old and new fans are welcomed.


    How often should I post?


    There is no rule governing the frequency of list posts. Some people are lurkers, while others post actively, sometimes 3 or more times per day. It all depends on how much you have to say. As long as your posts have something to do with Blues Traveler (or can be traced to Blues Traveler, such as talk about Gov't Mule, a band that is friends with BT) you can post all you want. It's not hard to see when posting is and isn't appropriate. Even off-topic posts are ok, as long as they are labeled as such (NBTC, No BTC, 0btc or the like).


    What's a lurker?


    A lurker is simply someone who posts rarely to the list. These may include new members who feel a bit shy about contributing, or they may include members of the home office and/or crew who want to read without making their presence known. Most of the posting on the list comes from a minority of the members, so a majority of the list could be considered lurkers.


    What should I say?


    You can say whatever you want, but be prepared to back your statements up - criticisms are welcome and often spark the most passionate debates, but name-calling and mud-slinging are not frequently met with an open mind. The list content is not censored, but attacking other listmembers may get you suspended temporarily or permanently.


    Why are you guys called "netters"?


    The designation of netters predates the BluesTraveler.net web site, and simply comes from the fact that the group congregates here on the Internet. An interesting side note is that the band originally called the netters "the webbers", more reminiscent of a basketball player or a gas grill than the term we've come to know and love.


    I hear you guys are friends with the band. Is this true?


    There are list members who have met band members, and list members who have not and probably never will. There are those who are on the list because the reason they are fans in the first place is because of a friendship with a band member. Some members of the list are friends with Gina, who does a lot for the list, and thus bridges the gap between the band and its fans, thus making these list members better "friends" with the band than your ordinary fan.


    Does the band really have spies on the list, listening in on everything you guys say?


    There are lurkers on the list that do have affiliations with the band. They may not read every message posted, but some posts do get passed along to the home office or other members of the crew. One of the best examples of this list-band relationship is what was formerly known as the "chant poll". For more information, see Rick Duro's history of the chant poll.


    Will being on the list give me special privileges?


    Perhaps. Information usually can be found on the list days before it can be found anywhere else. In many cases, that leads to privileges. In the past, the band has offered preferred seating to blackcat list members at shows like Red Rocks; this practice may or may not continue but it is an example of how the band does recognize and reward its most hard core fans.

    13a. Will I get backstage?

    Being a member of the list will not get you anywhere. Being a member of the list can, however, allow you to establish connections that will get you greater privileges.

    13b. Will I meet the band?

    This is getting annoying.

    13c. Would they let me hang out with them after sho--

    OK, if you don't shut up right now this website is cutting this interview session short.



    How do you guys know so much if you don't work for the band?


    The list is really an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts - information is shared freely, and when some is revealed but other remains unknown, others may fill in the blanks. This also epitomizes the development of this web site, which would be nothing without the contributions of the fans that visit and generously offer their knowledge, memorabilia and memories.


    Did the netters know each other before they got online?


    In some cases, yes. Many of the netters had been fans from the start, and knew each other from shows in venues such as the Wetlands Preserve and the Nightingale. Other netters did not know a soul until joining. Still others joined because a friend told them. Everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different experiences. At least three couples have even met through this list and gotten married.