I have enjoyed these articles so far (I've only been able to read 'em when they're posted in other places) but I also realize that I'm not the target audience for them. I think that's a very good thing.
WotC is trying to broaden the appeal of the game outside the traditional audience, and I think that's a tremendously good thing, both for the hobby and for those of us in it. Gaming (and this is strictly my opinion, and a generalization, too) has become far too insular a hobby amongst adults.
I play in two fairly large groups, and one is a fair bit older than the other. In the older group, everyone is extremely set in their attitudes of how things go and how they're supposed to work, both in the game, and in the whole "gaming social scene."
In the younger group, there's a lot more tolerance and acceptance of difference and being different. It also has a lot of awkward gaming-nerd stereotypes associated with it, but as I know the group members longer, I find that they're growing out of that, just like I did, I suppose.
The whole point of this is that the younger group is ready, willing and able to introduce new members, who can be any sort of person, while the older group is not so welcoming, which is where these articles come in. Getting a full-grown adult to play D&D, especially when they don't have the life-long love for Tolkien, Howard et al, can be daunting. And these articles will help with that.
At least I hope they will.
--Steve
