I don't know about making anything mandatory - some people just don't like giving anything away - and I take Dancing Master's point about giving info online. I think country and/or county isn't too much to ask - not so bothered about gender and age.
I'd also like to see a few research surnames as well. Perhaps I'm odd (it has been said!) but I always read them and have occasionally contacted someone with a matching surname interest. I know we have the Surname Interests Table but not that many people seem to take the trouble to add their surnames to that either.
Believe me, folks, if you 'give out' a little more, you'll almost certainly get a lot more back. Speculate to accumulate, and all that....
Oh, and Rhubarb, if only you could talk to my gg grandfather (my avatar), you could ask him why he moved from Aberdeen to Worcester!!!

Jill