Hi everybody!
Lately I have noticed several postings of clearly technical character in the "General" section, and every now and then other kinds of postings are created in inappropriat sections (forums). For the immediate asking and answering of a question that is not a problem. However, if somebody else, at a later time wants to find whatever we have on a specific subject, it might be difficult to find inappropriately placed postings.
The problem has most certainly increased because of an unfortunate sequence of sections (forums) in the main menu, so I have changed the menu, to guide new users to find the technical forums before the General Forum or even more misleading the "Help" forum, which in fact is intended for helping users of Ballad Exchange with the use of Ballad Exchange.
But I also want to remind everybody to select an appropriate section (forum) when posting a new question, or sharing a new experience. If you look around Ballad Exchange I am sure you will agree, it has grown to a considerable size, and if all this information is not well organized, it only grows less and less valuable, as it increases in volume.
At the same time, please remember, that any of you are welcome with suggestions to the design or organisation of Ballad Exchange. If you are confused about something, please let me know, if you miss something let me know, if you have a good idea, please let me know. Or post it here in the Help forum and let everybody know.
Unfortunately the system (MSN groups) does not support moving postings around between subforums, otherwise I had done so already.
In case I should become inoperative for some reason, I have appointed Nicholas Koligiannis in Greece, known as
Patentnick1 
nicholas@thesyndicate.gr as assistent administrator. So if you can't get my attention for some reason ( I might be out on the pond for a sail) please contact Nicholas.
We are closing up on our third birthday, and we are now 250 registered users. Some of them may not be very active, but I am sure lots of not registered users are looking in every so often to find stuff. And as earlier mentioned, the volume is impressive, and the repons to questions is prompt and mostly informative. I have not succeeded in luring the old national north european Ballad clubs into using Ballad Exchange as their own technical forums, unfortunately, instead some of them have created new and better technical forums for them selves. On the other hand, the UK Ballad Association found an Internet harbour inside Ballad Exchange where they now can publish anything they want. Other less formal Ballad organisations are welcome too, if they want a presence on the net. Why not a Ballad World Cruising Position Forum, or a US Pacific Coast Ballad Club? Or a Racing section in the Technical Section?
Who knows what the future will bring? The Ballad seems to be still going strong, and provide a lot of people with great sailing, be it as a daysailor or a circumnavigator.
Happy New year to all of you! Jesper Milling
