Let me explain a potential password mechanism - each Jan/Feb we have a list of paid members with membership numbers - an individual password could be part of your name + the membership number - this can be checked against a master list of paidup members!

As pointed out there is already confusion between this B/B and the Manx genealogy board and double postings are common - this B/B would then be a private members query board rather like the newsletter - double postings could still be made but possibly society members might be more willing to go that extra half mile knowing that it was another member.

The password mechanism has not changed since its inception - for those that have lost it please contact me PRIVATELY quoting membership number etc (on your journal address label I think) and I will tell you - it may change from next year though.

Re interface to public - there would be public webpages but if I might quote the 1779-80 bye-laws for Lloyd's Register of shipping::-

"As the interest of the Society is, in the first Instance, greatly hurt by the Custom of shewing the Books, and leaving them at Places where they are but too common, thereby preventing many Under-writers from becoming Members, who, though they reap the Advantages and Benefits in common with them, do not pay their Quota towards the expenses of the Institution, thereby, as much as in them lies, reducing the Members to the Necessity of paying larger Subscriptions . . ."

Yes the society runs on volunteers - they are an endangered species with few coming forward (eg the Peel library is likely to shut one afternoon of the 3 it is open) I was asked a couple of times to become editor, as I'm not resident on Island I was reluctant until it seemed obvious that no-one else was volunteering

Ian runs a commercial business - there is no money in providing either of these websites which he does on a grace and favour business (mainly because of Mike Caine's previous links and hard work in establishing them) - I cannot see why he would want to engage in more work. Obviously a links page (to one-name sites etc) would be part of a refurbished society web page (I suspect this would be up front) - such pages need continual work to keep upto date, ie yet more volunteer time.

Subscriptions are not nominal - there are currently some 1000+ members which probably gives an income after newsletter of about £2000 pa (I dont have accounts in front of me) - not a lot to play with - typical Manx caution has seen the society with a healthy bank balance and an attractive library etc.

Now it may be that the society has had its day - with the 'free' web people have got out of the habit of supporting those that get the data - someone had to go round the churchyards, someone had to transcribe the burial regs, someone has to see them through the press etc. Brian charges for his census indices (no criticism intended), I sell CD-ROMs which just about cover the cost of manxnotbook (though currently the University gives me free space + access) - free personal web sites will I suggest be a thing of the past within a year or so - there is no commercial sense in the current setup. Look at Roots Web pages - little hard info is actually given away - much is 'come-on's which need money - the on-line IGI is there I suspect mainly as a attractive recruiting site for church of LDS as well as fitting in with their religious interest in acestors, it is paid for by church members' tithes and must be a fairly heavy cost.

I must emphasise that these are my own private opinions - not those of the FHS - I am trying to gauge opinion at present.