>>To cite beesource as a "source" is a joke. There is more garbage there 
>>than anywhere else I can think of.

> Maybe beesource is a joke to you Peter but a former moderator from BEE-L 
> started beesource and now the list has over 4000 members compared to the 
> 1000 on BEe-L.

Actually, the 10,000 mark was passed recently.  How many are active (or even 
still alive), I don't know.  That is the problem with many of the other 
boards, they just keep collecting registrations and seldom or never clean 
up.  BEE-L has automatic housecleaning annually, and required people to 
respond to stay subscribed, or did until recently.

As for the quality of the posts there, the range is wide.  There are some 
knowledgeable regulars, but also a tremendous amount of really questionable 
"information" presented as fact and noise.   The problem with such open 
boards is that lies repeated often enough become almost undistinguishable 
from the truth for many, and there are many uncritical people out there.  I 
notice that some self-promoting "authorities" who would not last ten minutes 
on BEE-L run free on BeeSource and attract a following.

And, Bob, I don't think I need point out that numbers are no indication of 
quality or factuality.  In fact, the reason that such boards attract large 
numbers, beside the fact that people register multiple times and are never 
removed, is that many people simply cannot or will not meet the standards or 
stand the scrutiny that a list like BEE-L brings to bear on writers.

People attack BEE-L for not accepting any tomfool idea that comes along 
without giving it a good sniffing over.  That is what makes BEE-L such a 
great resource and also an acquired taste.

Also BEE-L is delivered by email automatically.  Reading the forum 
presentations is a hassle IMO, and keeping up to date is a full-time job, 
since the emails stop if you do not visit the forum often.  Not so with 
BEE-L.

BEE-L readers never have to visit via the web interface, although many do 
(and they are uncounted as BEE-L readers unless they register).

> I rarely post and read but if I do only  on the commercial beekeepers 
> section. Barry started the commercial beekeepers section so we could 
> discuss our issues without having to deal with beekeepers * without* 
> similar interests always putting their 2 cents worth in.

That does not seem to stop some of the worst offenders.  On BEE-L BS is cut 
off fairly quickly.

> The cell phone is the grapevine of commercial beekeepers today. Second the 
> internet and email and third is bee meetings and gatherings in commercial 
> beekeeping areas.

Generally, all the other methods are time-consuming.  BEE-L delivers the 
meat of matters with little effort on the part of readers.   If anything 
worthwhile is going on elsewhere, it usually shows up here pretty quickly, 
but the noise is fairly well filtered out.

We rely on members to post here if they see anything interesting out there.

Bob, you and Peter add a lot to the list.  Thanks.

The the rest out there, please contribute and don't let the occasional 
rejection bother you.  (Be sure to follow the guidelines) These guys don't 
let rejection stop them, and they do definitely get rejected periodically. 
Thanks.

Visit the link at the end for list access and subscription changes and 
www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for the guidelines. 

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