How about leaving this box unchecked for the default:

Notify 51 Website Members that this announcement has been updated?

Minor editing changes are common, and it's too easy to overlook that checked box. An author who wants people to be notified about a substantive update will be thinking about that and can easily check the box.

We don't use the Announcements module on our site, but your argument makes perfect sense.

Some time ago, when the Notify Me feature was activated, I asked that the "Notify xxxx classmates that this page has been updated" be changed from the default setting of checked to unchecked, for the same reasons you're putting forward re: the Announcements module. Class Creator agreed and it's now unchecked as the default setting.

Thanks. I didn't know about that.

Lane, You can change that default if you wish. It's in the Preference options.

Lane, I see what John is talking about. Sorry that I forgot we now have the flexibility to control this.

Go to: Admin Functions > Preferences > CLASSMATE NOTIFICATIONS (next to last box from the bottom) > click on "Unchecked: Do not automatically send subscriber notices unless box is manually checked before saving."

This will solve your problem.

Great! Thanks. I hadn't looked at Preferences in a looong time.

Yes, I prefer it unchecked too. When it is checked by default, every change you make goes out to classmates. Well, if you are a perfectionist like me, you could be making many changes to a page until it looks right, especially the homepage. One can imagine all the emails that would go out.
Just a little tip about the homepage. When you make changes such as pictures, be sure to check it both when you are logged in and when you are logged out. If you have any boxes that activate only on login, the page may not look right when your website is approached by someone who has not logged in.

Hmmm - and a THIRD option would be to force us as admin's to select one or the other, and NOT allowing the announcement to be posted until one of them is selected!

[just when you thought it was one-way-or-the-other, some 'smart aleck' comes along with yet another idea!]

Heh. Added to our wishlist for internal discussion. Thanks Steve.