<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19019"> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial>You seem to have forgotten that the list has already lost a valuable contributor with this attitude that outsiders "are merely guests". Remember it is the contribution to the list that counts, not the makeup of the membership belonging to a parent governing body. It would be disrespectful to dismiss the criticisms and suggestions of those who are not PTG members on the basis of their fee paying status; they too have spent countless hours passing on their experience and knowledge to the list voluntarily. The majority of non lurking subscribers appear to be those that have not been through the formal training process of piano technology and are thus relying on those (both nationally and, more importantly, internationally) that have been through the process to answer their queries.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Picture a charity worker holding out a can calling for contributions but next to it is a notice saying "donations by credit card only, no cash allowed". To top it all another notice says "if you wish to make a contribution by credit card please queue at the bank (aka the new list) 2 blocks away". That can is going to remain empty and there certainly won't be a queue.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Please heed the criticisms!</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Beware the Ides of.... err.... December!</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial>AF</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=mark@schecterpiano.com href="mailto:mark@schecterpiano.com">Mark Schecter</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 25, 2011 5:37 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [pianotech] New List</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>I don't hear any of them complaining about not having a voice, as you did earlier in this thread. If you want a voice, join. If you don't want to join, don't expect to have a say in decisions. And remember, this is not a public forum, it is privately hosted by an organization that people PAY to belong to, and work to support. Even the harshest critics of this or that problem CONTRIBUTE time and effort to this organization, and many person-years have gone into evolving it to its present state. So your sneering dismissal of its membership categories, or its software issues, or frankly anything, are NOT appreciated and not welcome. In my view, you simply have no right to complain.<BR><BR>Please try to make positive contributions and leave the gadfly attitude behind. <BR><BR>I speak for myself, but I know there are plenty of others who agree. <BR><BR>-- Mark Schecter<BR><BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>