The thing is, OPA, that those friendly get-to-know-you's and mix swaps are definately still happening, but I would guess maybe just not with you, and you know I don't mean anything hurtful by that! But I have to say it, because I have been sent discs and downloads by people who I've never met or really spoken much with at all, just because I asked (or sometimes didn't). For a lot of us, your description of "before" still very much applies. It's a nice place, full of overwhelmingly nice, generous, knowledgable people, and that's why I'm sad FSpoon ain't chipping in anymore. He was perhaps the best example of that.

I wasn't quite one of the original CMJ posters but I've been posting on the boards since 2001 and if you ask me this board isn't really any different than before.

The only major change was in the early days there were fewer threads and most of them were rather serious and sober and music related. When the original group of posters got to know each other and the wall of reserve was broken down, the variety and number of topics broadened. That's pretty much all that's happened. In fact it's something of a miracle that over quite a long period of time, at least by internet standards, the board has always been stable and maintained it's knowledge, quality and membership.

I've been around long enough to see 4 or maybe even 5 seperate 'generations' of posters, probably a four figure number of 'regular' contributators who have come and gone, so losing a few members from the community who have different present day expectations is hardly a crisis.

If you need a break take one. If the board no longer does it for you just stop checking in. But please don't bitch because a fairly sizable community of people hasn't imitated exactly your own personal development over the years. That's just stupid and the resulting negativity is doing much more harm than any number of geographic cliques or NMR's or smart ass replies.

This good old days bullshit has to stop.

And your "I wanna spoon with Dalen" posts are so intriguing.

Great post, K.

Yeah, nice post and thank you for keeping the doors open on your site during those blackouts. For everyone who plays a part keeping "Obner" etc going I thank you mucho. Moderators, and even frequent posters holding the keel steady while others swing in and out," Thanks a million."

I could live without Obner, but it'd suck like eatin' a 1997 post dated twinkie without you wankers. Oh yeah, thanks Dalen for all the Britpop. I don't speak American now for fuck's sake.. Bought a catlog of Blur, reinvigorated early Oasis, and turned me on to many numerous bands to mention, you FUCKIN SHITE!

Bump, pt. 2.

I think I first started reading CMJ around 2000... rarely posted there. Rarely post here. I am a classic lurker perhaps and have a lurker's perspective... albeit a little older than the usual music board lurker.

From this outsider's perspective... there are only two differences between the two boards: 1) CMJ had more posters, 2)CMJ talked about a wider range of music. It is just possible that 2 follows from 1, no? Other than traffic, folks there is little difference.

I can't believe Haq does this for free out of love for music and the words music inspires. Thank you from my perspective... an old fart whom rock and roll has kept alive for lo these many years. I check this board several times a day... sometimes at work when there is incredible stress and I feel on the precipice... I look at a thread about music I care about, or could care about... and it's all... just.... ok.

So please, keep posting, keep worrying about how different the "board" is... it's what you've always done. It's familar and comforting.