My apologies for the recent unpleasant exchanges on BLANCHARD-L. Rather than enter into the controversy through this List, I chose to deal with the situation on a personal basis but unfortunately this was not successful. I would like BLANCHARD-L to continue as an 'open' list with few if any restrictions on users, but this may no longer be possible. I am a very tolerant person but the situation has escalated to the point where I am about to change the settings on the Listowner Utility Page. Now for some good news. Pat Blanchard Curry has sent a disk containing wonderful data from her BLANCHARD collection that she has been compiling for many, many years. A small group of us is working on a way to share this with all of you and I hope to report soon on how this might be accomplished. Pat is working on more material to send us so we hope to have a 'distribution' plan soon. One method would be to set up a BLANCHARD-L Web Page. I have requested a web account at RootsWeb, in anticipation of this, but Brian and Karen are backlogged with new account requests so it may be some time before I hear from them. As a temporary solution, I have enough space to add some pages to my personal page. Like the BLANCHARD-L account, this would be a sponsor account. As I have done for the List, I will cover the new account ($24/yr., a very resonable amount) and any list members who wish may make a personal donation to RootsWeb. BLANCHARD-L will be a "paid in full" sponsor for both accounts. Last year, when we discussed this, only one member left the list and I hope it was not because I did not make the situation clear. For the last week or two, I have been updating the Index-Line Database. After entering all Lines through 01 Mar 1998, and in anticipation of a B-L Web Page, I decided to convert the database to HTML. I've asked the small group of B-L "Beta Testers" to comment on the page and plan to let you know soon how it can be accessed. My hope is that this will be a much easier way for you to use the database, rather than as an e-mail attachment. For those members without convenient web access, I'll try to find an alternate way for you to use the database. I really need your cooperation in maintaining this database. If you supply "lines" with all your messages, it is much easier for me to copy/paste them to the file. Otherwise, I must compose the "lines" and that requires a lot of time. In order for the Index-Lines to be effective, they should be as complete as possible. If you need that section of Guidelines that summarizes the procedure, let me know. One of my next projects is to update the Greetings/Guidelines message that is sent to all new members and to make a more complete summary of the RootsWeb Archives Search procedures. Other things like List procedures, Guidelines summaries, etc. might be included on a BLANCHARD-L Page. Please send me your suggestions for what to add. Here is the postal address for RootsWeb. (They now accept credit cards.) RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative PO Box 6798 Frazier Park, CA 93222-6798 For more information, go to: RootsWeb Home Page http://www.rootsweb.com/ or, "How to Join the Cooperative http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html Fletch