"I suspect he has behaved in this manner for so long that you are all inured to it."

As I've said elsewhere on this forum Gillian, fortunately for me, I've genuinely had nothing but support and encouragement from Sedayne and some others of his ilk here myself. And despite some of the peculiar customs, I would indeed encourage anyone - including the unfortunate slightly chargrilled Simon - to risk posting questions and queries to the highly informed and experienced members here. As said irrespective of this thread, the members are not Dragons, but it's alway's wise to wear asbestos underwear when venturing forth.

I was also an 'outsider' to the trad folk scene, until a few months ago. It's somewhat perplexing to witness such impassioned and unpleasant reactions over what appear to be minor matters. And it would be disheartening to be on the receiving end too - as I said earlier. Fortunately, never having been on the receiving end of it myself, I tend to stand back incomprehendingly (and with no small dismay) and observe it as a peculiarity of grumpy gout-riddled old men (and women - wouldn't want to leave certain famed members out) who tend for the most part, to gain perverse sado-masochistic virtual entertainment from dishing it out consensually between themselves...

Enough from me on this, I trust that Simon hasn't been alienated from potential fruitful future communications with some of the informed membership.