don't worry too much about the voting stuff. there's bound to be some groupies about, and other people, who take it much too seriously. you don't exactly get points for being right, or steering someone in the right direction; although some of us do try. you get points for striking a chord with the people who happen to read it. i'm sure that the person starting a thread does appreciate honest/direct/intellectual replies...when their thread gets hi-jacked into perl geek oblivion.