On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 19:30:32 GMT, Tom Veatch wrote:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: This group is sort of like a bunch
of people with a common interest sitting around the stove in the feed store.
It's not a technical meeting called to address the problem of an unexpected
failure in the static test article.

.... snip
If there happens to be a group of guys over in the corner arguing about
politics, religion, what's the best computer OS, or showing off the latest
French postcards, it's easy enough to ignore them. And, if there is nobody
talking about anything that interests me, I can run on over the bank, take care
of business, and drop by again later.

If you want to wall off a separate room and put a guard on the door, go ahead,
but I suspect that it's going to be awfully dry, cold, and very boring inside.



Very well said. If this was pro.woodworking I think one could make the
argument that all inquiries should be on-topic all the time. Since it is
*rec*.woodworking, the wide-ranging ideas and backgrounds of the group form
an important part of the group dynamic. After all, this is something we
are all doing for fun.