Well one thing to keep in mind is some of the providers here never check there site mail :-) I sent out a couple of letters months ago I i see they still have not been read :-) I think it is most important for new contributors, with out encouragement they can get fustrated and give up, not realizing peole were actually enjoying what they made. If you onlt get a few downloads on a item it doesn't mean it was no good jsut not very many people were looking for taht sort of thing. So for new contributors it can make the difference between continuing and giving up to hear that those who did download liked it. For folks like me, spacebones, lupadgds, EvilInnocence, adamthwaites, plus3d, bosseh, TrekkieGrrrl, etc we are in the top downloaded list, we know folks are having fun with our stuff, though I personaly still enjoy getting letters :-) When i fist started downloading I never sent letters of thanks, figured I didn't want to clutter their mailboxes with yet more fan latters. It wasn't till I was in the top 50 that I realized that 99% of free contriburots don't have that problem :-) And that is when i started making sure I sent out letters of thanks.