[at-l] WF posted reasons for closing down ATML

[saunterer@jimbullard.org (saunterer@jimbullard.org)]

>Here is what he had to say:
>
>Why I Discontinued Interactive Services
>
>   ...clip... My original hope was that these online services would
>provide a place where people entering the A.T. scene could
>    interact with a large community of experienced A.T. hikers, so that
>comprehensive and balanced knowledge and important
>    traditions of A.T. hiking could be passed along from year to year.

Comprehensive and balanced according to whom?
...clip...
  That effort has been a partial success,
>    with many tens of thousands of people using and profiting in some way
>from the services that have been provided. Unfortunately,
>    one key ingredient kept the whole thing from reaching its full
>potential. Not enough people who had used the services before and
>    during their hikes came back after their hikes to share what they had
>learned with newcomers. Only a handful bothered.

If tens of thousands benefited how can it be that not enough people 
contributed to make it work?  Who did the tens of thousands benefit 
from?  This strikes me as flawed logic.  If tens of thousands were deprived 
of the opportunity to get useful information and left the site disappointed 
because there was little or nothing of value there, then it would be fair 
to say that not enough former thru-hikers returned after their hikes to 
share what they learned.  This is a major rationalization with no logic 
behind it.
...clip...
>In the coming
>year, informational (but not interactive) websites will be introduced
>that will eventually reflect every aspect of the A.T. and hiking
>on it, and this should prove to be a valuable resource for people who
>want to hike on the Appalachian Trail ... for a dayhike or
>from end to end ... in a traditional manner.

We all knew it wasn't really the end didn't we?  And I wonder how one day 
hikes "in a traditional manner".  Stay tuned. :-)

sAunTerer