Well I've been there (the Mudcat Eurogathering), done that (played a few tunes) and even bought and worn the Tee-shirt (though I still have to pay for it!). So I'm thinking it's time I abandoned Guest status and signed up as a legit 'Catter.

But I'd still like advice on two issues.

First, I've seen a lot of postings lately from people whose cookies seem to keep getting gobbled up by some monster in the machine. Is this a temporary problem, and should I wait till it's resolved, or should I just sign up anyway and keep a few couques au beurre in my pocket to supplement my rations?

Second, guidelines for internet use in my workplace indicate that newsgroups can be a source of virus infection, and ask us not to sign up for them. Is there anything about a newsgroup which makes it a more dangerous medium for virus transmission than e-mail?