Adding my 2 cents worth to the non-bee-biology discussion of whether to
spin off a separate beekeeping list, I have to voice an emphatic NO!
The spin-off discussion is a repeat of what has been an annually raised
issue over the past three years, and usually wraps up with the decision
to stick with the status quo, while making an attempt to include subject
headers about whether a post pertains to beekeeping or biology.  This
has worked for a number of years, doesn't seem to be broken, so why fix
it?  The only worthwhile (IMHO) suggestion from this discussion is a
FAQ, and we  already have a volunteer (a non-military type, I presume).
 
Opening up/migrating/spinning off this list to a newsgroup was discussed
in the past and it was decided that that was not the way to go, mainly
due to the amount of traffic that newsgroups generate.  Newsgroups are
advertised to the WORLD by virtue their existance, tend to draw
opinions vs real information and opens the discussion to every Malibu
Skipper, Gilligan and Barbie who may see a beekeeping list and chose to
invade it with inappropriate comments about the soulless nature of
uncaring bee people who should willing accept unsolicited drivel on
their list while respecting the poster's right to privacy!  That kind
of traffic was unwelcomed and led to a number of learned posters
abandoning the list.  The entire list suffered from the exposure.
 
I for one benefit from both strains of discussions on this list and it
was generally agreed upon the last time around that the biology folks
benefitted from the beekeepers' posts and vice versa.  I would hate to
have to subscribe to this list for the biology discussion and have to
review the newsgroups for the beekeeping issues.  It seems to me that
newcomers to this list have arrived with good intentions and ideas to
fix something that was never broken in the first place.
 
Beekeepers!  C'mon down.  Newbie questions will be addressed with
referrals to good literature where your questions will be answered in
totality.  This information highway is a wonderful tool, but it will
NEVER be a substitute for a good book.  Spinning off a separate
newsgroup to avoid too much science?!?  I don't think so!