We don't need to make an either/or decision here. We can make a both-and decision. There are discussion board products out there that allow members to decide if they'd like to participate via an email/list interface or a newsgroup interface or in the discussion forum format itself. Web Crossing is the one I know best that comes to mind but I've just finished a book on the subject of online community in these various incarnations so I know there are several others. I find email lists not very productive because of the lack of context. The massive size of the mailings that we sometimes encounter on this list result at least in part from people inadvertently (or advertently for all I know...:-) ) copying entire messages into their sometimes-brief replies. That problem doesn't happen on a properly run message board or in a newsgroup, either for that matter. Using either newsgroups or a discussion board -- and, again, I'm in favor of moving to a solution that gives everyone the participation interface they want rather than sticking with one solution -- would allow us to segment and categorize content as well as to thread discussions to retain context. -- Learn to absorb information, internalize new ideas, and generate creative solutions three times faster, triple guaranteed! Ask me about Acccelerated Learning Plus! Free introductory lesson. dan@gui.com - 831-643-0590 (Voice) - 831-401-2531 (Fax)