[MF] Way foward

[Lorenz Gude]

Hi all:

If the one topic at a time approach has failed, but only after many 
years,  to generate enough interest in MF, then clearly some sort of 
multiple approach is worth trying. As I've said I believe mysticism 
would be the one I'd post in most often, but perhaps politics too.If I 
read this discussion correctly I believe we have reached a  threads 
versus fixed topics choice. Is that right or have I messed something?  I 
don't have enough experience with online interaction to have a clear 
opinion. I would hope threads were strongly enough defined to keep it 
degenerating into MD. And I hope topics would be flexible enough to 
evolve so that we don't get too little participation. Sounds to me like 
we are looking for a balance of dynamic versus static.

My first instinct is to go with some clear topics like those that have 
been mentioned and see if we develop Platypuses. They are bound to arise 
and if they persist they should be granted topic status. I'm taking this 
conservative approach because I don't want it to turn in to MD. My bias 
is to start with the static topics but let DQ break the boundaries. MD 
starts with no boundaries and is too chaotic for many of us to focus. 
Perhaps threads can be controlled sufficiently to prevent chaos, but I 
would have to be convinced to support that approach. (Go ahead Jonathan 
- I'm convincible. My problem is that I feel I wont participate if it 
gets too much like MD. And I am not saying that in the spirit of I'll 
take my marbles home and refuse to play and I trust you aren't either. 
Its more like I know myself well enough to know that if it gets too 
chaotic I wont have the energy to cut through  what I find irrelevant 
not to mention the unnecessary fussin' and feudin'.)

So I am happy with either threads or topics if we can keep some level of 
order significantly greater then we have in MD.

Lorenz Gude