Here's a small (hypothetical and allegoric) story to illustrate how i feel about the e-mail transcript from the ALA meeting... Once upon a time there was a great land. Many martyrs and heroes had poured their blood, sweat, and tears to make it a beautiful place to live in. The land welcomed all to itself, and everyone that visited marvelled at its wonder. It was always fertile and provided everything that people wanted or needed, only they had to sow the seeds first, and tend them with a little sincere effort. Also, it always felt like home for anyone that cared to spend a little time there. What was in your hearts mattered a lot more than what was in your purse. And everyone that made it their home, in their own small ways, contributed even more to its wonder. Then, one day, a few people decided to cordon off a part of this land for themselves, and make like, a 'reservation'. At the time, for the people that lived in this part, it sounded like a good idea. They all felt they belonged together more than other people did, and they'd all pool their resources and make their own little part of the land more prosperous. They started building a barbed wire fence around those parts. After a while, no one outside could see what was happening within, but for towering smoke stacks, that spoke of some secret industrial activity. But the carefree winds that once fanned the free flow of ideas, the plentiful showers that nourished the soil, the rivers that brought it prosperity, and the abundant sunshine that provided energy soon decided to shun those parts that lay within the fence. The goodwill of the many failed to reach the people inside the fence, not that it was ever withheld... Slowly, the land within became barren, ..., and failed... regards, krishnan See the Web's breaking stories, chosen by people like you. Check out Yahoo! Buzz. http://in.buzz.yahoo.com/