I've been perfectly happy with Mudcat since I first discovered its existence in fall of 1999. On DT I've found the words to huge numbers of songs that I'd been seeking for years, there for the downloading. On the forums I have found a wealth of information that I probably couldn't have found anywhere else without years of digging. In turn, I've had the opportunity to share what knowledge and experience I have with those who may be interested. I feel that I've made friends with a lot of people whom I have never met and I've made contacts and have been given opportunities that wouldn't have happened otherwise (several things, including being asked to write a guest column in a local folk music magazine). It is a unique and powerful resource on many levels, and I am eternally grateful to Max and those others who started it and keep it going—and to the Mighty Minions of Mudcat who make up the whole community.

I get immensely disgusted with people who occupy vast amounts of bandspace (provided by Max) bitching about what's wrong with Mudcat, how Max doesn't know what he's doing and/or how he and Joe Offer and Pene Azul and rest of the "inner clique" are involved in some nefarious plot to prevent Mudcat from reaching its (in their view) full potential. My admittedly knee-jerk reaction to this is "Okay, wiseguy, anybody can whine and complain. If you think you can do a better job, then why don't you start your own website and show Max how you think it should be done?"

Jon Freeman is doing that. For this, I salute him and wish him the best of luck. If he can provide resources and opportunities anywhere near what Mudcat has, then what can I do but be grateful and offer every encouragement I can? We'll all be better off. After all, it's not an "either-or" situation, is it?

I shall watch with great interest.

Don Firth