It seems to me that even the 'collectors' who are rigid in their outlook do a service, because no matter HOW they preach about the 'right' tune or lyrics, there are always those who can see beyond that. I personally am..... ummmmmm... 'infamous' for liking the 'older' versions of songs as a general rule. But I do realize that what I pick may be only version 27 of 143 in a series. If you, on the other hand, prefer #143, and are well on the way to 144, so be it. All I want is for #27, and hopefully #1, to not be lost.(well, to be honest, I also want some little corner where those of us who like #27 and earlier can hang out and NOT be trampled by those with little respect for 'trad') I do shudder at some of the gratuitous changes people make just to have their 'own' version to copyright, which, if they become famous, leads to the phemomenon where Joan Baez's version is treated as if it had sprung from her forehead in one burst of creation *grin*....or RUS being treated as a bible.

With mass marketing being what it is, and the general public being somewhat lazy, it will ALWAYS fall to a relative few to keep reminding us of the process and keeping some perspective. But to return to the main point....collecting DOES provide the basic material for either group to have a base to work from. What is done with the collection is a matter of taste.