Please accept my gratitude for a noble endeavor, here. I tend to sculk around a number of odd discussion forums dealing with an ecclectic array of topics using a wide variety of formats, and it can get a little confusing trying to keep on top of their individual idiosyncracies. Technically, Mudcat is one of the better ones; I like the way a "hot" thread is kept alive by going to the front of the line whenever someone hits on it, then slowly settles to the bottom and dies a natural death as interest wanes. The forum loads quickly in my relatively outmoded system, and is fairly easy to navigate.
A couple of things that I'd like to see... they may already be featured and I'm just too numb to figure them out; 1.: Simplified format on postings; elimination of need to use HTML code for line breaks etc., so that lyrics/poetry could be posted in proper form without being all run together or having to paste a little "{br}" after each line. Ability to format chord notations over appropriate sections of lyric lines. Being able to select fonts/colors for postings (I've seen this done but have no clue how to pull it off). 2.: Some mechanisim for posting *.gif or *.jpg picture files, or musical scores from the more common and popular editing/composition programs, such as *.mus files (Melody Assistant). Could graphics files be "attached" to a posting as they would be to an e-mail message? 3.: Inclusion of MIDI attachments to postings - as a link, perhaps, so as not to slow down page loading. This might be a good way to share a tune or two for those who may not be all that musically litterate! About the niftiest thing about Mudcat besides the gifted, talented, funny, creative, generous, and usually very interesting people we meet here, is the "HearMe" feature, where we can "jam" around the globe in real-time. That's just the (Mud)cat's pajamas! I share the hopes of others that sometime soon HearMe will be open to the MAC users of the world (preferred, I understand, by many Musicians), and a "conference call" feature can be developed whereby several of us can sing/play together (even harmonize!?) and be heard by all, performers and audience alike, as an "ensemble". Keep up the good work, Mates, and blessings abundant attend thee! "Uncle Jaque", Yarmouth ME USA