(Now I have time for my story) I've always loved the folk/traditional arts, the music, storytelling, dance, jokes, recipes, you name it. The trouble is that, in the workplace and the general social scene (work, church, school), my interest is not shared. So, I'm viewed as a harmless eccentric (at best), someone with a really strange sense of humor, etc. When I lived in an area with a large folkie population, I had a base of social support, but circumstances had me move to an area where it's at least an hour's drive in any direction to any folk events, whether large or small. A full time job, raising small children, etc. made it both cost- and time- prohibitive to attend more than two or three "big" folk gatherings a year. With the Mudcat (and some day HearMe, when I get a 'net accessible computer at home), I can "talk" to people who share my interests, people that I don't have to explain my jokes to, people who share my "vocabulary" of performers' names, recording labels, book titles, and real life experiences (concerts, coffee houses, festivals). It's heartening to be able to give an answer to somebody's question or request, and have them appreciate it. Likewise, if I put out a question, I have a lot of friends who will give it their best shot. This past year, several people in the folk field died that were dear to me, and to many others. For all their accomplishments, their passing was not covered by the mainstream news media, and even if it had been, no one where I work would really share my grief, even if I explained who these people were. Here at the 'Cat, we could share our grief, our thoughts, and most importantly, our stories. As I said before, the 'Cat is like a very good party or gathering of friends. The subject does not stick so strictly to folk subjects that things get stuffy, and because of our shared interests, it doesn't stray too far from these shared interests. I have had a little experience with other internet groups; MUSHs, MOOs, et. and there seems to be more rudeness, flaming, one-upsmanship, etc. on them. For all that people complain about ill manners, I see this as self-regulation of the forum more than anything else. Perhaps because of the (very broadly defined) shared interests among us, there is a relatively strong characteristic of tolerance on the 'Cat. To be sure, sometimes feelings run high, and sometimes someone will post that they think a thread doesn't belong here; and well they should. It's an honest opinion, and part of the self-regulating. Still in all, you can find agnostics, athiests, Buddhists, Christians, Jews, and pagans all accepting the postings of the others, sometimes with obvious affection and friendship. For the same reason(s), friendship and trust seem more common here than the other groups I encountered. Newcomers are welcomed, you don't have someone decide whether you can subscribe or not. Threads include non-folk requests for advice regarding everything from computers to recipes, requests for help through a tough spot or expressions of concern for fellow members. For this last, I'm thinking of the thread last June about the fires in Colorado, and the thread running now about the storms in the British Isles. So in the end, it's the combination of shared interests and tolerance that, in the abstract, account for the 'Cat's attraction. A more real, personal answer is that I enjoy the company of a bunch of people who like the same things I do, to whom I don't have to give points of reference or explain context when I mention something, who don't need explanations of my jokes, and who don't mind if I'm just me.