This is awful! I was about to post a 'get well' message when the Mudcat closed down for three days.

Barry was one of the (sometimes all too few) sane and knowledgeable voices on Mudcat. I always came away from his posts feeling I'd learned something - sometimes simply some basic humanity. I can only say what has been said before: Barry, you'll be missed, not just by your family and friends, who have my sympathy, but by so many friends who never had a chance to meet you. RIP.