I'm only going to write this once...
There have been many public and private complaints about the main PF being to crowded with posts that are tangential to WG. Announcing ones' first hit; REGIONAL queries; New User questions, etc... So you will notice that these are the precisely the other forums I created. If you're happy about your first hit, or ANY HIT for that matter, please post to THAT forum. If you want to communicate with Georgers in YOUR AREA, use THAT forum. If you are a new user and want to ask questions about the site use THAT forum. They are designed to be mutually exclusive, so you can choose to read them or not, if the TOPIC interests you.
These additional forums will allow the Main PF to concentrate on other WG issues, like new dollar bills; distribution; stamping; stories; spousal conversions; and anything else that doesn't fall within the realm of the other forums. Sure, the Main PF will still be the center of communication - and the ONLY one I will read on a consistent basis. I may drop into the others from time to time, but don't have enough time to read all the "I got my first hit" posts. With the New York Times article scheduled to print next week, we are going to have a huge influx of new members - and I would like to have appropriate messages directed to the appropriate forums - otherwise the Main PF will have an ever INCREASING signal-to-noise ratio, and become useless and no fun. Also, as needs dictate, I will open other Public Forum areas in order to keep the Main PF interesting and fun, since that's why we are all here in the first place.
I know it is a change from the past, but as time goes on and Where's George? grows, it will have become a much needed change, and I think everyone will get learn to appreciate it. Think of it this way: What if there were only one newsgroup called alt.all or rec.everything?
- Hank