Aine ... I know you and Rick have worked out your semantics, but I'm going to add my .02

... "Exclusivity" is definitely not a word I would use to describe folksingers or bluessingers or bluegrasssingers, professional or otherwise. We are an "odd" lot to be sure and very unconventional and exclusivity just doesn't sound right. My family and friends would NEVER NEVER use the words "conventional" or "exclusive" to describe me, nor would they use the word "conservative." And, unless I've missed a lot of threads, I've never seen anything that said the mudcat was only for professional musicians. Yes, Rick is a professional musician and so am I, and there are a few others, but I've never "talked" to any of them who thought the mudcat should be restricted to professionals only.

In addition, we all have our own opinions about what non-musicial threads are "ok," and our opinions do not necessarily agree. What's good for the goose is not always good for the gander, so to speak.

Whether you or anyone else likes it or not, there are a lot of people who are attracted to the mudcat because of the music and they come in for the music. And, in fact, the opening page says it is a site dedicated to blues and folk music. If you or anyone else, myself included, wants to start a non-music thread, have at it, but don't be offended when one of these individuals takes issue with it and voices their opinion about this being a "music" site. Perhaps now is the time to change the verbage on the front page a bit.

I belong to three other music forum sites and I can tell you they are monitored regularly and fiercely, to be sure contributors keep to the music. These sites publish disclaimers about what will and what will not be allowed. I'm not say that I totally like that style, either. I'm too much of a free-spirit to have someone dictate to me what I can and cannot do. The mudcat has never been that way, so in a sense it may be misleading to some.

I wish I could say "live and let live," but it ain't never going to happen. As Rick stated earlier, this is a community, and it's filled with all kinds of opinions ...

moonchild