[ Robbie Rhodes wrote in 040101 MMDigest:

> I invite thoughtful opinions from other readers on how new books
> about our hobby are created and sold.

I am still very grateful to the many people who gave me free advice,
showed me things and who taught me how mechanical musical instruments
work.  Yes, I too have had the experience of people who bluntly refused
to answer questions referring to books.  I never asked them anything
again and maybe that was exactly what they wanted.  But, by all this
free help from kind people, my interest grew more and more.

It is a known fact that one answer leads to several new questions.
While my number of questions grew more and more, I felt that I could
not ask everything so I started to buy and read books.  I am still
unsure if I would have been the relative expert who I am now, without
the kind help of mechanical music enthusiasts.

When you want to catch flies you better use honey than vinegar!

Wishing you all a fabulous and musical 2004,

Hans van Oost, Netherlands