Mudcat functions as it functions re loading, not loading, being down. That has been the case for quite some time, at least the last couple of years.

If I paid a subscription to belong, or if I was a regular financial contributor whose contributions added up to several hundred dollars a year, or if I occasionally sent significant money instead of occasionally sending a little money, I might complain, or might expect at least expect an accounting.

Based on nothing other than my own thoughts and observations over time re Mudcat and my acccumulative interpretations the few posts Max has made over a long period of time, I think it likely that Max is committed to providing a home for the DT, probably thinks the actual community of Mudcat, both above and below the line has run it's course, and has little interest anymore otherwise.

This website Max created was a pioneering adventure in social media. Seems to me the experiment is over.

I am recalling a thread I have not gone in search of, where one intrepid person, it may have been Bee, but I'm not certain of that at all, dared to make some sociological/anthropological observations about the social processes on Mudcat. We were offended and shut her down right quick.   Didn't like objective observations. If I ever can find that thread, and from there figure out who it was (we ran the person out on a rail), and how to contact that person, I'd like to offer an apology.

Communities that get broken up can again become communities. They will not, however, be the same communities as they were before. There will be influences, whether one is speaking of 3-d or virtual communities, from the past, but they will be different communities.

Kinda like roots music.