Al,
I hope you were punctually and you had a great evening by being part of a wedding...
I've just waited until some of the great ones - as Jeff once said in another post - would make the first step for saying something wise as you did!
And now... I venture to say something!
Although I'm sure that my name - been stated by Gerald (also one of those great ones) - must have been a "slip" to have been listed, I would be lucky to be allowed to fully agree with you and with what you have said. I am certain no one else could find better words to "hit the nail on the head" as you did.
It's hard for me to find an appropriate expression for the amount of appreciation for everyone in the forum and quite in particular, also the fellow who was the initiator of this thread - Darren! But if I would be requested to list all those great people (including all those ones who were named in, and have already participated in this thread) who should have deserved a kind of "gift" for all their experience and knowledge of what they have shared with me and by that let me having learned, I guess the AWS would drop into its financial bankruptcy - and this is something that truly should never happen.
By the way, and this is my seriousness, if the AWS forum would not be free of charge but being fee required, I would not hesitate to pay, for having the chance to meet you all and to have the opportunity to talk to you! O.K. O.K. it's good that it's free of charge... :-)
Thus please permit to finish by citing you.
We are "...truly an international community..." and I personally am a truly proud member of this community!
All the best to you and all the others,
Stephan