Looking to book collecting

J wrote:
On Apr 18, 4:15�pm, "Francis A. Miniter"
wrote:
Yes. �This newsgroup used to have so many really
knowledgeable collectors and vendors contributing. �It is
sad to see them gone.


Any idea why that is?

Sorry to take so long. I have actually been thinking about
your question. First, I think that a lot of the vendors may
have closed their doors. The last few years have been a
hard time for physical book stores. And either from
embarrassment, which I hope is not the case, or
disappointment, they have withdrawn from the active ranks of
contributors here. Second, this is an old fashioned web
site, ASCII based, without the bells and whistles of the
prettier new sites. That pulls some people. Not me,
because USENET is a cohesive locale for a broad range of
interests, and it is permanently archived by Google. Nor do
the bells and whistles appeal (though I wish I could do
italics). Ideas are paramount for me, and words are not
just the traditional vehicle for ideas, but the most powerful.

--
Francis A. Miniter

In dem Lande der Pygmäen
gibt es keine Uniformen,
weder Abzeichen, noch irgend welche Normen,
Und Soldaten sind dort nicht zu sehen.

Siegfried von Vegesack, "Es gibt keine Uniformen"
from In dem Lande der Pygmäen