Hey Michiel!  
    
  > 1) If totally ignoring FTS-5003 is the "best" idea, what is stopping  
  > us from totally ignoring any other FTSC standard that one does not  
  > agree with?  
    
  That depends on which document we're talking about.  Near as I can tell the  
  only document that matters has never made it past the proposal stage which  
  has  
  led to much fts-0001.016 compliant software incapable of getting their  
  packed  
  MSGs to propogate beyond their own node(s).  
    
  > If totally ignoring any FTSC standard that one does not agree with  
  > is the "best", what stops us from totally ignoring anything that  
  > the FTSC does or produces?  
    
  Given the current situation then the only limitation is whatever works to  
  successfully propagate one's packed MSG(s) across the network.  
    
  > 3) if nothing stops us from totally ignoring the FTSC why bother to  
  > have an FTSC at all?  
    
  Good question.  From this angle it appears we need the elections in order to  
  attract postings.  The increase in traffic is always much higher when there  
  is  
  a FTSC election despite the lack of any meaningful interactions once the  
  election is over.  
    
  Life is good,  
  Maurice  
    
  -o    o-   o-  -o  
   (\\  /)   /)    (\\  
   ^^  ^^   ^^    ^^  
  ... Ongiet georne hwÇÇt sy god oÇÇÇÇe yfel, ond toscead simle.  
      Keenly perceive what is good or evil, and always distinguish them.  
  --- GNU bash, version 5.2.37(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)  
   * Origin: Little Mikey's Brain - Ladysmith BC, Canada (1:153/7001)