On , jari laaksonen (2:221/360.20@fidonet) wrote: 
 > The bottom line of the whole issue IMHO is that how can we keep the 
essage
 > flow high enough that both echos are interesting for both novices and
 > professionals. If the message flow is low then the echos must be merged to
 > keep at least one C/C++ discussion group alive in Fidonet.
Jari...
  The current crisis is based on moderation, not participation. Both echos 
suffer to some degree from the general malaise of FidoNet, but both are 
likely able to remain self-sustaining for the foreseeable future.
  I suggest that if both echos are sufficiently robust to support a lively 
moderator election, then neither is in immediate peril. This is based on my 
experience that even when the message volume in the C_Echo was 150+ messages 
per day and I was moderating, it was still difficult to recruit a suitable 
slate of moderator candidates and the total vote was less than 20! We have at 
least 3 candidates in each echo (although most are candidates in both 
elections), which bodes well for the future of each.
  I also humbly suggest that the next C_PlusPlus moderator adopt the same 
sort of zone moderation approach I institued during my last tenure as C_Echo 
moderator. It makes the workload manageable and provides a farm system (this 
is a baseball reference for those outside Zone 1) for future moderators. 
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