I think that makes Mudcat an exclusive community. If you want that kind of thing, then I say make it a pay site.

There's no process by which that could be done by members, even if we wanted it, because it's not a site that works that way. It's a benevolent dictatorship rather than a democracy, and on the whole I like it that way, because I trust the dictator, probably more than I would trust the members. This is the first time in ten years I've ever thought a change that has been introduced is a mistake,

The Mudcat isn't exclusive, and never has been. It's like a folk club in that way. Anybody is welcome, but it's best if they have some interest in folk music. I'm glad that the Mudcat doesn't have the kind of rules that limit us to talking about folk music, the way that a lot of online sites with a particular interest do, but I worry about a development which could derail us - or could even mean a move towards a more exclusive Mudcat in the future.