[at-l] Vote

[Victor Hoyt" <vhoyt@attbi.com (Victor Hoyt)]

This list has often been called a "campfire". What campfire, or for that
matter gathering of any kind, does not have a consistent level of background
chatter? That this place has had an ongoing, active, and mostly intelligent
discussion (on many topics) for several years, is a testament to both the
moderator, and the people who gather here.

I have lurked here on and off for quite a while, and even posted a note now
and then. I have observed that no matter the hot subject du jour, if there
is a posted query, it is usually answered quickly, intelligently, and rarely
with any of the surliness, or condescension found in other places on the
web. If the subject then broadens off the topic, it is only following what
happens in real life around that campfire. It's just a bunch of people
standing around shooting the breeze.

Perhaps those who feel intimidated, or frustrated by the number of postings
are new to the web, or to this type of forum. Perhaps they are a little
timid. Perhaps not ... I don't know. Perhaps they feel a little left out by
the obvious familiarity the regulars have with each other. Perhaps they just
don't want to wade through all the chatter. That's unfortunate. If they
really want to make this only a repository for "on topic", "newbie", or
other strictly "trail related" questions, they might find that after a while
the really interesting people who make AT-L what it is, wander away in
search of more fertile, and challenging grounds. And I think the list would
slowly fade away.

I could say a whole lot more, but it would be off topic... :-). I responded
to Ryan privately as he requested, but I wanted to say my piece publicly as
well, since I rarely contribute that way.

I vote to keep this place exactly as it is.