Jon, I agree there is no way a filtering system can root out thread hijacking, which is why I don't hold out much hope for my continued participation here, and I've said that. But the reason for Mudcat not meeting my needs isn't just technological at all. It is because the BSers have been allowed to hijack the forum by the site owner.

Filtering, ending the member/guest log-in (ie either make it all member only or guest only to stop the incessant bickering between the two groups), would certainly solve a lot of what makes me unhappy here. But unless and until Max makes Mudcat a music-only discussion forum, even those badly needed tech solutions won't solve the problems for me with Mudcat.

In the event that Mudcat were made a music-only forum, I think over time the word would get out, and some of the knowledgeable people who left would return. I think it would attract a much higher caliber of poster than we are currently seeing in Mudcat. Someone mentioned earlier that what we have here now is a large group of people spouting opinions. Well, to me there is a marked difference between people with expertise sharing knowledge, and people with little knowledge and/or interest in learning about the subject at hand expressing ignorant, poorly informed opinions, just to get attention.

One of the greatest problems with the public internet forums is the real lack of respect shown to the most knowledgeable people. To me, that is what was at the heart of the Bruce Olson witch hunt.

It is true, I am seeking a folk music forum for people with advanced knowledge, not a newbie forum. I am seeking a forum which likely would be moderated, to keep the riff raff out, and the tone civil, without censoring the exchange of contentious and conflicting ideas.

I appreciate that we need both newbie and advanced types of forums to support people's folk music interests. I have no problem with Max providing a newbie forum. But it does mean that those of us who are ready for the advanced forum with better defined and policed rules of engagement, need to become proactive, and get out of Mudcat.

And yes, this thread has helped me come to the realization that the time has come for those of us with an interest in advancing our knowledge of the music and it's social, cultural, and historic contexts on-line, to create a new forum. And no, I don't think it is appropriate to discuss the creation of a new forum here.