Q: How many internet mail list subscribers does it take to change a light bulb?

A: 1,343 total; as follows:

one to change the light bulb and to post to the mail list that the light bulb has been changed;

14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently;

7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs;

27 to point out spelling/grammar errors in the posts about changing light bulbs;

53 to flame the spell checkers;

41 to correct spelling/grammar in the flames;

6 to argue over whether it's "lightbulb" or "light bulb";

156 to write to the list administrator about the light bulb discussion and its inappropriateness to this mail list;

109 to post that this list is not about light bulbs and to please take this email exchange to litebulb-l;

203 to demand that cross posting to grammar-l, spelling-l and illuminati-l about changing light bulbs be stopped;

111 to defend the posting to this list saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts *are* relevant to this mail list;

306 to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty;

33 to post URL's where one can see examples of different light bulbs;

14 to post that the URL's gave 404 errors and to post the corrected URL's;

3 to post URL's which prove light bulbs are relevant to this list;

33 to link all posts to date, then quote them including all headers and footers and then add "Me too";

12 to post to the list that they are unsubscribing because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy;

19 to quote the "Me too's" to say "Me three";

4 to suggest that posters request the light bulb FAQ;

44 to ask what is "FAQ";

4 to say "didn't we go through this already a short time ago on Usenet?"

143 to ask "what's Usenet?"



Credit: Science Humor I