Yikes, 21 messages since last night...okay, I think I'll go ahead and
investigate the newsletter issue seriously. (Spoke to someone last night who
can do the job, so we'll see.) As for the "should I/shouldn't I?" stuff...I
actually wasn't being cute or ingenuous; I sometimes use this forum for
thinking aloud. I really hadn't decided one way or another when I posted my
message. Was actually looking for an opinion (and boy, did I get them!).

The one thing I'm going to have to consider further along these lines is
the fee question. One thing that I swore at the beginning of this whole
process, long before I ever posted a single word about B5 (back even before it
was That Which Could Not Be Named), was that I was very, very, VERY unhappy
with the way media fans have been shilled and ripped off and exploited over
the years, and that I would NOT do the same. Thus I have to be very careful,
simply for my own peace of mind.

Once the show gets up and going, running regularly, that's one thing.
But right now, a newsletter almost benefits *this* end more than any other,
because the show hasn't aired yet. (Yes, as you can see, I'm thinking aloud
again.)

So the *best* way to handle this might be as follows: it'll be nominally
free for the time being. (Because printing costs and the cost of actually
putting it together will be absorbed by Yr Obdnt Srvnt, not Warners, it won't
be really fancy, but the guts will be there.) If somebody wants to contribute
a buck or two, that's fine, but optional. Nor should anyone send in ANYthing
until receiving one issue at least and determining at that time if it's worth
it. (As I've said here before: take NO ONE, including me, at face value; be
critical consumers.)

Once we're on the air regularly, at some point it'll probably go into
subscription mode (at the least possible fee, just enough to cover production
costs). But not until then.

I *think* that's fair.

Anyway, for the moment, do nothing. I've got to make some phone calls
and some arrangements. We already have a decent sized mailing list from those
who've received shirts, so you're already on-line. At some point, we'll open
it up and have anyone else who's interested send their addresses. But not
until I have everything set up.

Like I said...it won't be fancy. Just informative.

(As for the schematics, I know that Ron has some cool ideas along the
lines you mention, but I don't know the details yet. Will post when I do.)

Somebody the other day, noting the enthusiasm in the fan community for a
virtual outsider, described B5 as "the Ross Perot of science fiction
television." I don't know if that's good or bad....

jms