I don't think splitting the list would be a good idea. I am not too concerned with the "blind leading the blind" syndrome, because as long as there are people like Peter Weiss, Jim Jones and many others whose names are sometimes less familiar but whose constant monitoring of this (and other) lists are no less worthy of our gratitude, there will always be someone to "watch over" the "juniors' list" and step in to correct misinformation. But we don't presently have a problem with the amount of novice questions asked, so it wouldn't buy the 'veterans' much to split the list, while on the other hand the more novice users would miss a lot of postings which, although sometimes obscure, do provide the type of information one needs to move forward on one's own. While LISTSERV is a pretty small system by computer standards, it is still a computer system and there is a limit to how much you can learn about these if you have to rely on memory rather than logic and reasoning. As long as all you get is punctual answers to punctual questions here and there, it is very difficult to see the logic of the entire system and progress is very slow. On the other hand it is clear that we cannot allow the list to become a general-purpose forum for just about any computer networking question. While I do understand the frustration of people told to FTP a compressed BACKUP saveset and then make sure to read the FAQ before asking how to install the program as a foreign command, questions such as "What is FTP and how do I use it?" or "How do I tell my PC to reply with these '>' signs you guys are using?" are best asked of local helpdesks, because they know the equipment and software you are using and can provide the best answers. This doesn't mean posting such questions to LSTOWN-L is a no-no, but if questions not related to LISTSERV or mailing list management become the norm many people will sign off. Maybe what is needed is a list for novice LISTSERV users without any particular focus on list maintenance or discussions of LISTSERV enhancements. New list owners could subscribe to this list in addition of LSTOWN-L and use it for the more basic questions (in much the same way as I expect LSTSRV-L subscribers to post questions about EXECIO to other lists, even though they might need the answer to write a program that is related to LISTSERV - and so far it has worked pretty well). Eric