At 08:24 AM 8/26/98 -0400, you wrote:

There were many well-presented arguments, and everybody who responded
seemed genuinely concerned about the future of C&C to the list. In
conclusion, after reading 3 of the 4 statements above, over and over, I
know *I* am concerned about the future of public C&C.

For the record, C&C itself seems something of a lost art... I know a few
people who've received depressingly few comments on stories, if any at all.
I've been subject to that before, myself.  It's quite disheartening,
really... and I'd imagine it's a bit of a vicious cycle.  One probably
doesn't care to give C&C if he/she has done so in the past and has never
received any on anything he/she posts.  Due to the lack of C&C, or even
any feedback whatsoever, the writer may perceive a lack of interest in
the story, and thus the story may end up not being finished.  Everyone's
potential loss.  I don't get to read many fanfics these days, due to the
fact I'm in the middle of moving and generally stressing out.  If I
don't have time to critique a story I read, I try to at least send the
author a word or two of encouragement if I liked it.  Something,
ANYTHING, can be enough to make an author's day, and get him/her to keep
writing.  Unfortunately, experience has shown me that unless your fic
has something to do with Ranma, Evangelion, Sailor Moon or Tenchi, it's
likely to be completely glossed over.  That's a shame, really.  But I
rather doubt that situation is going to change at any point in the near
(or even far-flung) future.

-Deuce