[Ham-Computers] A Very Special List!

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Hi All, 	
	
I have been managing a dozen of the QTH.NET mail lists now for over seven years.
During this time I have gotten to know sevral hundred subscribers fairly well
and several thousand on an occasional contact basis. The subscribers to this
particular list are among the brightest and most technically versed 'overall' of
any list I have managed or subscribed to as just a member. Which is 'not' to
infer that any of the other lists are less capable or not populated by talented
and highly skilled subscribers, because they most assuredly are! But it is to
say that this list in particular is perhaps more technically focused percentage
wise than all the other lists. 		
	
I marvel at the outpouring of collective wisdom and experience that occurs when
a question is posed here. What is especially refreshing is the ability of
various conflicting ideas and solutions to be expressed, and discussed, without
someone getting their circuits overloaded and electrical discharges bursting
forth as sparks of dissension. Truly a tribute to the attitudes of the
subscribers of this list. 	
	
Those of us who have called upon the collective knowledge of the group have
benefited greatly. Most of the time an answer, possible solution, or directions
on "where to find out" appear in a matter of minutes. The tremendous diversity
of the knowledge possessed by this lists incredible collection of information
pack Rats is truly mind boggling! If someone on this list does not know the
answer, or know someone who does, it is a real shock! Everyone sits there in
front of his/her CRT fully expecting the answer to appear any millisecond. When
it does not, yours truly gets mail asking when the QTH.NET system will start
operating again!    	
	
My special thanks to each and every one of you techno wizards for your
contributions over the years. Without you, most of us would have to do the
unspeakable thing, READ the manual! However, as we all know by now, those who
write manuals are hired to confuse product owners by creating sets of
instructions that either never quite work or work but not as they are supposed
to. This assures those so called "software engineers" that they will have a job
next year! I do admit, however, that every once in a while someone does actually
produce an owners guide that is friendly, easy to understand and the directions
really work! I owned one, once ...	
	
If you appreciate the help rendered, please remember to do the following.	
	
1. Thank the person, or persons, responsible for providing you with the
solution. Then remember to help someone else when you can, as they first helped
you.	
	
2. Make a donation to owner Alan Waller, K3TKJ to help keep the twenty-nine
servers operating, the equipment that never gets a break 24/7/365.26 repaired,
replaced and upgraded as needs demand. The five T1 lines do not work for free,
so send Al whatever you can afford. Every dollar helps.	
	
I don't know about you, but I for one would be immensely sorry to see any of the
QTH.NET lists go away as I would positively be at a distinct disadvantage
without them to call upon for help! The benefits one can obtain on this list, as
well as hundreds of others, are invaluable. If we had to pay for this
information, WHEW! We might actually have to start reading these owners manuals!
Now that's scary!	
	
Duane Fischer, W8DBF