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> I beg to differ with F. Hoffmann on the need for additional map list-serves.
 
Sorry, I am with Frank on this one! I am already subscribed to far more lists
than common sense dictates would be sensible, and have to deal with some 50
or more messages a day. Most of which are junk, but a significant few are
worth having, which is what keeps me going. But Listserv groups are
proliferating faster than the weeds in my garden (now THAT's fast!  :-)
and it is difficult to keep up!
 
> Do I hear Pandora's box opening...? Alice Hudson, NYPL
 
The problem is where does the reductionism stop? Why not a separate list for
European mapping; one for mapping of Liechenstein; one for USGS products
exclusively; one for problems of handling thematic (as opposed to topo) maps;
one for discussing map projection issues; one for air photos; one only
for maps at scales greater than 1:50,000; one for map cataloguing issues
only; another for discussing which brand of map storage cabinets to buy...;
one for announcing discards and freebies; one forannouncing map job vacancies
(if there ever are any these days?); etc.?
 
Sorry if this sounds slightly flippant, but for me one of the strengths and
joys of MAPS-L is that there is a good variety of topics discussed, many of
which are over my head or are of lesser interest (like news of MAGERT or
what-have-you), but which never the less is teaching me something new. And
that is at least half of what it is all about, isn't it? Using MAPS-L as a
means of learning from our peers? If we break off into little cliques and
sub-groups then we shall lose the synergy and cross-fertilisation of ideas
that prevails at present.
 
Sorry - I'll get off my soap box now :-)
 
Darius Bartlett