You're quite right Dave, members of the Festival Committee should read our own Forum on a regular basis - if only there were more hours in the day (and I know you'll think that's a pathetic excuse).
To pick up a couple of points: the 2009 Winter Warmer was not cancelled due to lack of manpower. We decided very early on that we weren't having one as the effort involved for the small amount of money raised didn't make sense. Nothing to do with manpower, and in fact we have slightly more this year than we had last year. There's never been enough people ever since I've been on the Committee, but that's a problem for virtually all voluntary organisations.
Sorting out fringe venues is, as you will appreciate, extremely difficult this year with pub closures and changes of management, but we're getting there. Venues like The Boars's Head, which you mentioned in a post on Mudcat, have known since MFAB2009 that they would be an integral part of this year's Fringe. We haven't discussed anything in detail, partly because they've kept telling us it's too early to do that.
I've tried convincing all Committee Members that they should look at the Forum regularly (although my own performance in this respect doesn't help). We all have an awful lot to do, with most people having a day job as well, and so some things will inevitably slip. Board members also spend a fair amount of time answering queries from people who have contacted us through the website - possibly the quickest way if you want to find out anything.
Anyway, thanks for your comments. I really will try to visit the Forum at least once a week from now on. And I'll try and persuade others to do the same.