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Hi folks, I have restrained myself (sometimes forcefully) from getting into the whine-fest regarding the co-existence of Paleonet and sci.bio.paleontology on the Internet. But after reading Lipps' recent contribution to this listserve, I felt that my responding was better than my exploding. What is the problem here, people? We have a UseNet paleontology newsgroup that addresses the needs of neophytes, and we have a professional listserver that addresses the needs of the professional community. Those cloistered professionals who don't believe in the mandates of the S.V.P. Outreach Statement don't have to log on to UseNet; in fact, they don't have to respond to amateur's questions on Paleonet, either. Just respond to each other. Don't blame Una, the amateurs, or the anarchy of UseNet...more than likely, UseNet has been in existence longer than many of you have used the Internet. As far as whether this particular listserver will become polluted with amateurs, cranks, and other crack-pots; that's mostly up to the professionals, isn't it? Keep the discussions professional, succinct, and the cranks will stay away. In the long-run, people seek out their own kind. By the way, if someone decides to "move" this listserver, you will find that you will still attract non-professionals. It's the nature of the Internet. If you want a private group, use snail-mail. If it worked for Tycho, Galileo, and Oppenheimer, snail-mail can work for you, also. I would rather hear discussions on the Signor-Lipps effect, or PAUP, or whether you guys prefer SYSTAT over some other statistics package than I want to hear of someone's personal worries of amateurs cluttering his e-mailbox with questions. Please, let's get back to the reason why this listserver was created.
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