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Cheers and Farewell

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Cheers and Farewell
From: JKearman@aol.com
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 09:24:08 -0500
Well, friends, I could go get another email service and regain my full
citizenship status on this mailing list. I’m not going to, though.

I use AOL at work for business reasons, via our LAN. I can’t justify running
anyone else’s software, and MIS will know if I do—and it’s against company
policy. It makes no sense to run Juno at home when I’m at work. I want the
continual access to the mail during the day. I challenge Mark to tell me if
MY AOL account has ever caused an error? He’s never mentioned it if it did.
AOL users are growing in number, just like non-sports-car drivers. Somehow we
have to accommodate SUVs, pickups and Buicks. The net world is going to have
to learn to accommodate AOL!

I bought my MGB in September, on a whim. I had hundreds of miles on it (and a
few hundred bucks in it!) before someone told me about this mailing list.
I’ve put on a lot of miles (>4k) and put in a lot of work since then. I
wouldn’t characterize myself as a British car freak, but I enjoy driving the
B, and I can work on it when required, though I’d rather be driving than
turning a wrench. In fact, I drove it today. I’ve used the MG mailing list to
get answers to questions and locate parts, and I’ve also posted information
and responded directly to others’ posts.

Now I’m informed that, because my internet address ends in AOL.com, I am not
welcome to receive this mailing list except in digest format. You couldn’t
have hurt me any more if you said I was unwelcome because of my skin color or
national origin, or because my MG was a non-driveable car. Furthermore, THE
PRECIPITATING EVENT WAS CAUSED BY SOMEONE WHOSE INTERNET ADDRESS ENTITLES HIM
TO CONTINUED UNRESTRICTED ACCESS.

Mailing lists are run by individuals, and how they’re run is their privilege.
I’m not going to go out without a squawk, though; no one who knows me would
expect me to! Too bad other corrective measures couldn’t have been tried,
before we AOL users were given the swift kick. Other than the fellowship,
however, which I will miss, I’m not losing much. I’ve gotten all the material
benefit I can from this list. I’ve made good friends, located the parts I
needed to make my good car even better, and developed a network of sources
for MG parts and excellent pastries. My car looks pretty good and runs great,
and I’m confident that, with the help of my friends (and J’s tea and
brownies), I can keep it that way. Not least of all, through this list I
helped a friend locate a really nice MGB of his own. I’d like to continue to
participate, but the digest format does not lend itself to such
participation. I never was too good at lurking.

So thanks for the fun couple of months. Look for me at Westminster, Vermont
next fall, weather permitting. My 73B is dark blue-green in color (DPO’s
choice) and I probably won’t have repainted it (to BRG) by then. I’m not much
on car shows, but that one is accessible without an overnight stay and I’ll
probably go if the weather is good. If you’re not afraid to sully your inbox
with AOL mail, I’d be glad to keep in touch with other B owners, especially
in New England/the Northeast (even Dave Deutsch). In fact, some of us
low-rent AOL ninnies are starting our own MG mailing list—AOL only, of
course. Email me for details. But after I confirm this has been posted, I
will no longer be subscribed to this MG mailing list.

Happy Holidays!

Cheers,

Jim Kearman




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