Another 2*10**-2 $ .... (personal opinions - can be wrong :-) )
Part I:
Projects - like human  beings - have some kind of course  of life. It starts
with idea and intent. Not all of  them reach the next stage - procreation. A
shorter or longer period of gestation follows and again some projects vanish
(or get aborted).  For some of that  which come to birth it's  also the last
stage of their life - either they're born death or die shortly after.
The time has begun when not only  it's creator(s) but others too can see the
project  living, eventually  growing,  getting sick  and  sometimes dying  -
project's childhood. The others are indulgent  with this child (and with its
parents), they like it  and they know that they have to  be patient with it.
The parent(s) worry about it very much,  spend nights by its side and try to
raise it to it's best.
Many don't  get beyond this  stage, they stay  childs, the interest  in them
ceases often the parents - after a last desperate attempt to make it grow up
- lay it away.
A few  reach puberty. That's  the time when others  than the parents  try to
influence the project, when concrete expectations are pronounced ... For the
parents  this is  the hardest  time -  they have  nourished their  child for
month, even  years - and now  they must see that  a) not all ppl.  like this
child and b)  those who like it try  to make out of it what  they think it's
best for  the child.  Time has  come to let  it loose  so that  the teenager
becomes an adult.  All that can be done is  to give it a good start  - or to
keep it as ones child forever ...
Part II - paralleles:
LISTSERV - the  revised one - was  Eric's toy and child in  the first place.
Since  it was  nice and  cute  and useful  others became  interested in  it.
LISTSERV quickly grew up - maybe faster than Eric wanted it. On one hand you
are proud that many  ppl. are interested in what you've done  - on the other
you feel that's not you alone anymore who determines the course.
I think we have reached the point where  it has to become an adult - whether
or no. I think that - for one reason or the other - most of us are no longer
willing to see LISTSERV "grow up" and  sometimes take it by the hand. Either
(and I'm  speaking of the  "LISTSERV-Backbone") it can  live on it's  own or
not. If not - then you still can use it as a "local" tool but nothing else.
... seen from a certain point of view you can notice similar things in other
projects/products also.
Part III - therefore:
I would propose the following scheme:
1) there are two possible kinds of LISTSERV
 1a) "official backbone LISTSERVs"
     - are in PEERS NAMES
     - CAN run network-wide (peered) lists
     - MUST take part in DISTRIBUTE
     - get Eric's attention
     - take part in a (semi-)automatic  update i.e. if not automatic then
       the Postmaster guarantees that he/she will do it ASAP (the 5 mins)
     - information is passed between the  LISTSERVs to check and maintain
       the integrity of the backbone
     - provisions are  made for  situations when  routes change  (!!!) or
       some mebers of the backbone are out of service for some time
 1b) "local" LISTSERVs
     - are seen as local service of some sites
     - can't  peer  with the  backbone  (existing  peered lists  must  be
       "un-peered" within a certain time)
     - don't take part in DISTRIBUTE
     - are not maintained by Eric (or in another centralized form)
     - run under the full responsibility of the local Postmaster
2) if we agree to "install" the OB (official backbone) then
 2a) a set  of "basic functions" must be agreed  upon which all LISTSERVs
     must offer.
 2b) the above named functions  have to be implemented (integrity, update
     etc.) - if you still want, Eric, of course
 2c) those who want to take part must agree to the update-scheme
 2d) all LISTSERVs taking part are  brought up to the same release within
     acceptable time (that's less than half a year!)
 2e) non-OB LISTSERVs withdraw from peered lists within a certain period
.....
it's long enough now ...
Christian
P.S.: Eric has done great work - I  would regret if we wouldn't come to a
      solution and thus lose LISTSERV (see Part I)
P.P.S.: we shouldn't  forget that - although there  are some similarities
      between  us and  some  shared  interests -  we  are different  ppl.
      working under different circumstances.
<CR