[Dixielandjazz] Why the DJML only has 563 members

[Steve Barbone]

>"James O'Briant" <jobriant at garlic.com> wrote (polite snip)

>Some appear to forget Mark Twain's advice:  "Better to remain silent and be
>thought a fool, rather than speak and remove all doubt."

>Personally, I'm amazed that there are so few members of this mailing list.
>I would think that there are thousands of OKOM musicians and fans around the
>world who would want to subscribe.  My personal belief is that messages
>posted here by some individuals have driven a lot of subscribers away.
>Heck, I've stopped reading DJML mail -- just deleting it all -- when the
>list has gotten too contentious or too preachy for my taste.  So far, I've
>always started reading again. I wonder how many others have just said "I
>don't need this garbage," and unsubscribed permanently.

Dear Jim:

Your personal belief may well be totally wrong.

Several years ago there was an electronic meltdown on the list which reduced
it by several hundred. I don't recall the exact number but Bob Ringwald
probably knows. Seem to me only about 100 or so members remained, the rest
were wiped out. So the list now had to grow from whatever the number was.

Since that time it has been steadily growing. Kind of like a growth stock
chart. Up 50, down 20, up 75, down 40, up 100, down 35, etc. It now has 563
members.

One reason some musicians do not join this list is that there are several
"musician only" lists out there which appeal much more to them. They don't
have to be afraid to say what they think on those lists because there are no
festival producers, clients, or fans that might get upset with them, such
upset possibly having an adverse effect on their livelihood.

Plus, many OKOM musicians have broader musical tastes than just OKOM and
they don't want to get yelled at for that.

Be that as it may, this is probably the largest OKOM list in circulation. I
can't think of one that is anywhere near as large and there are several
other lists similar to it floating around the internet.

In my opinion, you are totally wrong in your conclusion (without any factual
basis) that certain posts have driven a lot of people away.  Perhaps you
might take Mark Twain's advice to heart.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone