Snuffy, I must admit that I have bit my tongue somewhat on this subject, but I have a few observations to make.

Dick has certainly made a point of seeking unornamented tunes. If you are transcribing from a printed source I believe that it is preferable to quote the source AND to transcribe it as faithfully as possible, even if it is highly ornamented. Remove the fal-de-lals if you wish, but then make it clear in your posting that you have edited the original source material.

Where we don't have access to the original source of alternative versions of a particular song I would favour leaving the tune as unknown. Tunes mutate in exactly the same way as lyrics do - marches become waltzes, major keys become minor, accidentals get added or deleted. Deeming that every version is identical can deny the end result of a rich folk process.

I have to agree very much with Malcolm re aligning lyrics and tune. I have located a number of older ballad scores in particular where the new tune will simply not fit the existing DT lyrics without some degree of bastardisation and/or I'm simply not smart enough to get them to fit without access to some primary reference source. Scottish songs in particular are often riddled with slurred notes which I find quite bifficult to align words and tune.

Regards, John