Undoubtedly the 'Tree of Life' (aka TOL) is the most valuable online reference (albeit non-reviewed, biased, opinionated, and with sections and comments therein that I strongly disagree with). If TOL had a debate section therein, along the lines of that offered on TONMO, then it would be, without reservation, the best on line reference available. Right now, without reservation, I am only prepared to say that it is 'the best online reference' (there is scope for improvement, but why do so when there are sites like
www.TONMO.com). I take my hat off to Dick Young, to Tony, and to James also.
As things stand I'd rank it: 1) TOL, 2) TONMO (for friendliness), and 2 equal for CEPHBASE (for scientific content). Each has an important role to play, so there is no contest, and no contest should be entered into. I do, however, wish that more in the ceph community would post online (I know that many follow it). It will happen. Currently 3000+ members! I look back a few years and there were < 100 (and Colin said something that made me respond ... and as a consequence sign up)! Ahhhh, those were the days; what fun we had (when we would stay awake 24hrs to talk to folk on the opposite side of the Earth)!
We should start up the newsletter again. Hmmmmmm.