Would you prefer your email address to be visible or "hidden" on this forum?

The software that runs this forum has the option to make email addresses "hidden".... That is, you can get notification if someone responds to your posts, but your email address can't be seen by the "public." The main advantage of this feature is that your email address can't be "harvested" for spam....

At the moment, I have this feature turned off, but I'd like to know what everyone here thinks about this. Would you prefer this feature turned on, or do you prefer things as they are?

The "down" side of turning this on is that it could be harder to contact each other by email, and I know forums like this one have always helped to stimulate joint-ventures (JVs).... So while it would be good for helping to prevent spam, an unintended side-effect is it might stifle possible JVs too....

So, what do you think about this? Would you prefer email addresses to be hidden or visible?

- Dien Rice

P.S. This wouldn't affect web site links at the end of posts, those would stay of course.