<html> <body> David P - Since I haven't had a chance yet to reply to Robin Hufford's response to my earlier post, which was, in turn a response to Terry Farrell's "Post Responses" (4/21), I want to make sure that my 'best-of-intentions' are not unnecessarily diverted.  I respectfully suggest that you misconstrue what he meant, by taking it out of context.  His point, I believe, was that, whatever the real value of the technical improvement, or of the investment of hours of our time advocating an idea, the impact in the financial arena (market sales or our own income) can be negligible.  As to his tone, judging from previous posts, this is simply the way he writes.  Whether you agree with him or not, or feel that something can sometimes be more succinctly stated, he is extremely articulate.  I believe any irritation he expressed was at being coerced into having to spend time in less -than-meaningful discourse.  I will apologize to him appropriately.  I don't mean to be critical of you. I think you meant it in fun.  I just don't want him to have to spend time addressing this.  Fact is, I still want to know the answer to what moves first, the bridge or the board.  Let's stay focused, please.  Thanks. Respectfully, David Skolnik Hastings-on-Hudson At 10:59 AM 4/22/2003 -0500, David Porritt wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Robin:   You certainly told THEM!  Those upstarts who think they have figured out piano improvements that the leading brand hasn't adopted yet. You said:   "The measure of success in such a case will be the persistence and profitability of the product in the market not merely sarcastic, derogatory commentary on the deficiencies of other, similar, products, although, as we all know, this may facilitate sales to those who will only later become aware of technical considerations."   Ron O. is only building his piano # 6 so he must be near the bottom of the heap in piano quality.  After all if one builds a better mousetrap.........   I suppose that on the basis of letting the market decide true quality I'll have to recommend to the piano faculty that our next concert grand not be a brand S or Y or K but a Pearl River!   Or, maybe your post sent at 5:27AM was just the result of being 1 cup of coffee shy of a happy start on the day!   dave <pre> _____________________________ David M. Porritt dporritt@mail.smu.edu Meadows School of the Arts Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275 _____________________________</pre></blockquote></body> </html>