Regarding improving the DEN / its future.

["Paul Hollingworth" <PH@4gm.co.uk>]

Regarding improving the DEN / its future.

I could wax lyrical about the value of the Deming Electronic Network, but
I'll come to the point instead and say that its vulnerability is that it
relies on the best efforts of one man. Jim has done a brilliant job over the
years building up the website and moderating the discussion list, but if he
goes down, for whatever reason, it stops. 

Whilst I can see distinct advantages (mostly in minimising variation) in
having just one moderator, would not a small team of moderators (say, 3) be
more effective? It should be simple enough to set up technically. It should
not take long to train the 2 spare moderators. It should lighten Jim's load
and stress. It should keep the DEN engine turning briskly once more, with
inbuilt redundancy.

As for Topica or some alternative unmoderated solution, if someone wants to
go do it, fine just do it. You don't need anyone's permission, and as WED
said, every business needs a good competitor. Personally, though I can't see
the point. The DEN works fine - apart from one weakness.

Paul Hollingworth