It is wonderful when folks with the experience and expertise on this
list share specific questions.  It is amazing the calibre of persons
who comprise this list, and it is a benefit to future generations that
there are people today who really care about this slice of musical
history to preserve something that might ultimately be lost otherwise.

- One thing I love is when answers are given.  For those of us who
lurk and learn, we gain great benefit.

- Another thing I love is when folks share information about books
that go into greater detail for further research.  I'm glad to know
about a greater opus; whether I hear about it from the actual author
or publisher is not significant.

Although I am new to this area of our musical heritage, I have many
questions that would be embarrassing and a waste of bandwidth to pursue
online, when there are those who share free advice, and those who share
resource materials for greater search.

As an author and publisher and conference speaker in another completely
different realm, and moderator of several chatlist e-zines, I know what
it's like to give away information gleaned from a lifetime of experience
and study to people who soak up freebies with not even a word of
appreciation, and it hurts.

Does it stop me from sharing?  No.  If I have an answer, I want to share
it.  And I'm glad so many on this list do.

On the other hand if a question is of a greater scope than a simple
answer would solve, it should be allowable to mention a publication
that explains it in greater detail, even if posed by an author.

If an author/publisher feel the answer crosses over into an apparent
commercial plug, it is a simple matter to simply contribute to the
list owners, not as a payola, but rather appreciation for sharing the
particular resource to those of us who may not otherwise know of them.

Paul Kealy