I think it best if contributors refrain from including their email addresses in messages. There is a man on the loose who writes to women asking them to describe in detail their experiences of corporal punishment at school and at home.

So what? They don't have to reply. Any way, most of them are men. If some fool wants to listen to their fantasies it is no big deal. Why the paranoia?

Its more to do with the spam, viruses and hate mail that one gets as I did when I posted under my real name years ago.

I still can't see why it can't be left to each contributor to decide whether to post his/her/its/their e-mail address.

Would anyone be prepared to agree that we be allowed to post our e-mail addresses, doing so at our own risk?

I appreciate the moderator trying to spare us from unwanted e-mails but at the end of the day, I think the decision should be ours in regard to posting our details or not. I received a photo of my Great Grandfather who played Soccer in Scotland before migrating to Australia courtasy of a member who contacted my on this board. Now, thanks to him I have a photo which had gone missing in the family. This is the up side of being allowed to post our e-mail addresses.

The down side is what the moderator alerted us to, however, I have never received any unsavoury e-mails for any members f this forum.

After all, what is the purpose of a forum? To communicate with others and share information and experiences. E-mailing each other just takes this one step further.

So dear moderator, how about having a change of heart?

Please read the opening message of this thread carefully. There is no ban on including email addresses on this board. (See Alan S, 22 October, 1.32pm).