Mark,
 
ml> that's because you don't understand why the echolist was created in the
ml> first place and why the backbone distribution systems chose to use it...
 
Oh dear ... "you don't understand" ... heard that tune before ...
 
ml> the concept of providing a central list of echos with relevent data about
ml> them is still desired in today's fidonet technology networks...
 
Let me tell you, if and when Fidonet collapses, it won't be because of the lack
of an elist.
 
ml> it is just a tool for use by moderators, distribution systems that
ml> choose to use it, and operators looking for a nice central list of
ml> available echomail areas so they don't have to ask all around if certain
ml> echo topics are available from anywhere... it is just a tool...
 
If it were as you describe it, then it also is the negative-list of what isn't
there. This negative-list has never stopped distribution systems from carrying
100-proof crap and listing at least 80% of dead echoes, or echoes kept alive by
tag-collectors such as Sean Denis.
 
Ben Ritchey has now departed us how long ago? And did echomail distribution
come to a dead-stop? No? Maybe that is because the largest distribution of them
all ... the Fidoweb ... distributes whatever needs distributing, irrespective
of what the elist indicates, or does not.
 
 \%/@rd

--- D'Bridge 4