Before this gets out of hand – this is a totally open list and anyone can join, just like it’s US equivalent.  The list owners happen to be RMS people but it’s not an RMS list.  Lots of vendors and people who would not describe themselves as records managers subscribe and contribute, though there are rules about overt commercial activity.  There are a couple of closed specialist group lists.  Archives-NRA is also an open list. 

Closed discussion forums (fora?) just lead to closed discussions and the blind lead the blind. If you’re not interested in a topic then the delete key works wonders but most of the best discoveries come from good old serendipity.

I confess I find the ‘me toos’ infuriating, particularly when David Bridge had already invited people to communicate with him directly about a possible Sharepoint group.

Incidentally Microsoft’s marketing guys must be absolutely delighted at the thought of groups like this.  I know little about the current product.  However, in classic MS fashion they appear to have a product which, according to people whose opinion I value, doesn’t do exactly what you want it do but does lots of other things for which it’s difficult to find an immediate use.  IT people buy it because, as in the old IBM days, no-one gets fired for buying Microsoft and then loads of other people get together to find work rounds for functionality that MS sort of includes, at least by name - but not quite.

Thank goodness I don’t have to be concerned about it anymore.