With regards to the *thank-you*.
In signing off the list, I tried, in good faith, to say thank you for
sharing your expertise with those of us who read rather than contribute. I
certainly did not mean to imply that you are entry-level practitioners of
your various processes, but merely that the best anyone can get from this
kind of forum (without hands-on experience) is an entry-level understanding
of the craft. A fuller understanding would require academic exposure (I'm
on that track) or a personal relationship with an experienced practitioner.
With regards to the *poor policy*.
What I said reflects no discredit whatsoever upon the efforts of the person
now maintaining the list. But *somebody* said, "Go ahead, thanks for taking
over." The *somebody* should have checked to see if the server and software
would support the requirements of a list such as this.
With regards to the *inner circle* versus the *lurkers* attitude.
What a snotty attitude! One of the objectives of your forum is to
encourage interest in the alternative processes. To do that, you must
attract persons who are, relative to yourselves, ignorant of the craft.
Hopefully, exposure to your more knowledgable conversations will elicit in
those persons a desire to become involved at some level -- perhaps a
practitioners, perhaps as buyers, perhaps only as non-involved, but
gallery-going, well-wishers. To refer to them as *lurkers* will discourage
that involvement and ultimately defeat the broader goals of the forum. If
you want an exclusive club, set up a private e-mail network.
Best wishes to you all.