I agree that there is always a place for "diversity" on this wacky
vehicle we call Conch-l - so long as it is shells that are being
discussed (even tangentally!), and the Rules are followed, that's what
the list is all about!!  So, i toss in a white ball for Helmut - and the
museum for which he VOLUNTEERS is indeed a great place - a freind in
Germany has told me about his visits there.

That said, i would like to make a few comments, if anyone is interested.

1) Everyone's Personal Email address appears in the header of each
message - so it is easy to find.

2) If anyone finds they are getting "too many" list emails, or too many
they don't want to read, i would suggest they not leave, since they
would miss the ones the DO find gratifying, but instead get the "digest"
version - all the messages of the day in one easy batch- ie, one or at
the most 2 messages per day, up to 1000 lines each, comprising all the
messages for the day, unedited and complete.  To do this, just send the
message    Digest Conch-l     to the list-server,
mailto:[log in to unmask] (someone correct me if i am wrong
here!!).  This is also great if you are going on vacation - you come
home to a couple of dozen list messages, instead of a couple of
hundred!! (and you don't miss anything!)

3) As one who has been known to "drop a hint" about commercial
transactions on the list, i can confidently say that it doesn't work
(well, it didn't for me :P) - so there is no point to continuing these
"quasi-commercial" postings, which apparently annoy a lot of people!!
(do i get your business back now, Peter? :} )

4) The "delete" button is indeed available, but it would help if folks
self-limited their Frequency of postings, to a couple per day at most:
sometimes the list seems to resemble a chat-room, with 3 or 4 members
sending up to a dozen postings each per day - perhaps i'm speaking out
of turn, but this gets a bit much at times. (grouchy, ain't i??)

5) My "personal pet peeve", which nobody else seems to mind, is the
practice of automatically repeating the message being replied to,
unedited and entire: most days, over half the lines posted, sometimes up
to two thirds, are repeats - mostly unnessessary - 'nuff said!

Well, that's my tuppence worth.  I really enjoy this list - even if
nobody can identify that silly Fasciolarid/"trophon"/Buccinid at the top
of the Images page :--)!

From the Great Wet North,
Ross.