From: amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com [mailto:amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mike Israel Sent: Friday, December 28, 2007 12:53 PM To: amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [amphicar-lovers] Amphicar-Lovers Forum: IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT Most likely I will close it to new posts. As mentioned, the new forum will also incorporate a feature to receive/reply to messages via email. Just a little background info about lists. Lists are not run democratically; they areunder the sole control of the list-owner (and host). The list-owner can selectively allow, bar and remove list-members. The list-owner can also halt or terminate the list at any time, even at 0400 on a Friday if that suits him. I can't think of any "rights" that a list-member has. The rational list-owner will want his list to succeed by being useful, so he must use his czar-like powers only to enforce civility and decorum (zap the porn and spammers and nut-cases). The list-owner may decide to move the list to a different host, especially if that new host offers features beyond those of the old host. The up-side can be fun new features (like photo albums or sound attachments or embedded photos, etc). The down-side is the inevitable confusion (you need to begin posting to a new address, there may be a slightly different "look & feel" to the new interface) andsome people just don't like change. Assuming the move is well thought out, and the list-owner is committed to the change, the list-owner will NOT want his old list competing with his new list. He will close the old list as of some arbitrary date, perhaps leaving only a post directing new-comers to the new list. If anyone can't live with this, you are free to start your own list, on Yahoo or somewhere else. (Nothing will make you appreciate the time and effort that a list-owner puts into managing a list until you try it yourself! ) I would hope that our community will not split into competing lists; having a single focal point is a tremendously valuable capability. Some car communities are so huge that they have separate forums for engines, suspension, body, etc. All the experts are not always in one spot, so cross-forum issues are sometimes not thoroughly covered. This move of the list will really be a shut-down of one list andthe populationof another list. With Mike moving the list archives and other overhead, it looks like nothing will be lost. Inevitably, there will be some transitional problems. Mike should make a simple, step-by-step guide for accessing the new list location, addressing any preference setting options and describing how posts will flow in and out. I'm ready to move, but I'll stay until Mike publishes his official cut-off date. After that, the new list will probably take a week or soto sort out new arrivals and give everyone a warm feeling that things are working right. You may want to hold off critical issues and questions until you feel the community is at ease with its new home. Ed Price El Cajon, CA USA 67 Rust Guppy