Jim

I think that I prefer the knee-jerk reaction to the condecending and sarcastic one that followed.
I've no objection to you or anybody else thinking about the music you are involved in, it's just that after reading the thread I've got this image of a dog chasing its tail.
Contrary to your assumption that I disaprove of courses at Newcastle or anywhere else, I think that they are all excellent but I have an inbuilt suspicion of anyone who feels that they were put on this earth to organise everyone else according to what they see as the definitive way.
To me those who, as you put it, "got off their bums and wrote about it and collected it and annotated it etc.." preserved it,yes, but the downside was that they were also responsible for spawning the folk industry and making a living out of something that was freely given.
I don't recall referring to anyone as "pathetic" or a "saddo" and object to the inference in your rather unpleasant posting. Nor did I demean or belittle anyones'pleasure in research or knowledge.You really should refrain from making such inferences, It doesn't do you any favours.