Message boards and mailing lists have been with since the earliest days of doing genealogy on the Internet. No resource that is available to us "detracts" from another resource--they each provide a place for us to post queries and replies and list data that might lead to discussion or help others.

In cases where a board is "gatewayed" to a corresponding mailing list the one-way gateway now requires that any replies to the gatewayed post must be made on the board--hence increasing board traffic.

Many users make use of both lists and boards but for slightly different purposes. Since lists require subscription, most list members are seriously researching the surname or locality that is the topic of the list--so you will find "experts" in the given topic.

With message boards, since they do not require subscription, anyone can post information or a query, whether or not they have a serious interest in or connection to the query or data they are posting.

In cases where a list and board are gatewayed this can have the added benefit of having your query viewed and possibly responded to, by any "experts" on the list.

Some people prefer lists and others prefer boards--but both serve a unique (and potentially connect) purpose. Each resource *enhances* rather than dimishes the potential contacts we can make and information we can learn from others. Successful researchers learn to make the most of all available resources.

Joan