Diki, I'm sure I'm the "backstabber" with "nothing to say" that you referenced in your post. You're right. If Larry had no problems with your response to his post, then I should have minded my own business and kept my mouth shut.

Although I'm not a fan of the tactic of threatening to leave the board because someone hurt your feelings or challenged your wisdom or point of view, I nevertheless don't wish Synthzone to be deprived of your wisdom and knowledge because of a beef with me; so in that spirit, I promise to no longer participate in this forum, leaving you no reason to leave on my account. Truth is, once I unload or give away my remaining arrangers, it is unlikely that I will ever replace them in the future, so there is really no reason for me to actively participate here. Nothing against arrangers, mind you. It's just that the older I get, the less I like 'canned' music of any type and on any level. I've never played one live and they've gotten way too expensive to keep around as toys. So it's back to basics for me; organ, organ, organ (with a little VP770, cause I can't sing ).

A final comment of the 'protected' vs 'unprotected' style question. Frankly, I tend to agree with Tony Hughes - I don't think it matters one damn one way or the other. My honest feeling is that arranger keyboards will ALWAYS be the province of 'home musicians', just as their predecessors (the home organ) were. Bought and played by middle aged, middle class amateurs for personal pleasure and maybe entertaining a few friends. They will NEVER be adopted (at least not here in America) by professional musicians in any meaningful numbers and the manufacturers know this only too well. They're listening alright, just not to the handful of pro's that use them. They're listening to their target market and that target market wants only a few things; it must sound good OUT OF THE BOX, and it must be simple to operate. THEY are willing to shell out for a new model every couple of years for a few new styles ('cause the family has gotten sick and tired of the old ones) and because they can afford it. They will go through life without ever having changed a single edit parameter. Since we're talking 'dumb', here's an example; thinking that the handful of OMB's on SZ represents the American Arranger keyboard market. You may notice that I'm excluding Europe from this whole hypothesis - America only. Oh, and DNJ is probably right about the viability of (TOTL) arrangers. I think their days may be numbered. A cherry B3, on the other hand.......

Again, I apologize for speaking up in a situation that I had no business sticking my nose in. I'm sorry that you (whom I've always thought of as a friend and ally) see me as a backstabber, but I can see how my comments may have been construed that way. Wishing you nothing but good luck and prosperity, my friend. Hope you will reconsider leaving since you will no longer have to contend with my inane comments.

chas