> From: "Steve Haywood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > I don't know about newbies - but >> frankly, I don't understand the half of the comments that pass between >> certain people at various times. They're obviously based on some shared >> night in the Swan or the Boat or whatever, but the overall effect is to >> make >> the rest of us feel we're outsiders to an internal core membership which >> are >> actually the people the group is for.
and Mike said > . And perhaps some > others would like to join us in the other group - membership there is by > invitation and the normal routine is for a proposer to suggest to the > group > the name of potential recruit and unless there are any objections, an > invitation to them will follow. No wonder some folk feel left out of the "in" chat. They are! I think those of us who have been around for a long time were aware that there are "private "groups and why not? but to have it made so plain that it is a "them and us" situation does nothing to further that aims of canal internet chat. To my simple mind, the various forums (at least the public ones) should be places where anyone can ask questions about canal related matters and expect to get helpful answers and also places where we can share our canal related experiences with others. I don't personally care how many groups there are and I will decide where I feel most comfortable (at the moment the Canal World discussion group gets my vote , probably because it is moderated and this helps keep the posts more on topic) but I don't think it furthers the view that canals are a friendly place (they are aren't they?) being told on a public forum that there is an invitation only group. Mind you, if the private group is where the idle chit chat goes on, I could suggest a few names who should be invited to join then we wouldn't have to see their sometimes childish comments on here :-) Just my tuppence worth which will probaly be shot down in flames as sour grapes. I am sorry if it comes over like that. It is not meant to, I am just trying to point out why some folk are leaving because of the "in " crowd chat. Ann
