Hi everybody.  I agree with Douglas Henderson that "pumper" is a
horrible word for a player piano -- one is not pumping anyway.  But I
don't see why he objects so strongly to the term "snakebite".

Any player enthusiast will surely quickly discover that those
double holes are the solo expression or Themodist perforations.  But
they certainly look as if they might have been made by a snake, albeit
a very small one.  What's wrong with a bit of colour in our terminology
(or 'color', if you live in the U.S.)?

I think you're a voice crying in the wilderness on this one, Douglas.

John Phillips in Hobart, Tasmania

 [ I agree, and I submit that it's jargon, like Terms of Endearment.
 [ Pianola fans are like a mother, who affectionately calls her baby
 [ "the little stink-pot".  Just think of a mother rattlesnake !  ;)
 [-- Robbie