[pianotech] Really, really irritated with the New forum system

[Mike Spalding]

Old List,

Phil Bondi has been serving, as a volunteer, as liason with the software 
vendor for the new forum.  He is responsible to report bugs and other 
problems to the vendor, and to pass instructions, help, and bug-fix 
status reports back to the users.  Since we haven't heard from him for a 
while, I am copying him on this message, so that he can read the entire 
thread on the old pianotech and respond with an update on scheduled bug 
fixes and improvements.

Mike

On 6/29/2011 5:31 AM, david at piano.plus.com wrote:
>> In many ways Pianotech had become a better resource than the Journal -
>> witness how many articles in the Journal have been lifted from
> Pianotech.
>
> Will, you make a highly significant point here, I feel (and everyone
> else's observations are powerful too).
>
> I very much enjoy getting the Journal. But it doesn't take me long to read
> through each issue. Some excellent tips, some complex things to look back
> at later, and so on.
>
> But the Journal affords nothing LIKE the resource that this List has
> constituted for years. If I have a query about something, I can draw on
> the collective vast experience of all here, and almost always there are
> immediate and very helpful responses.  Plus, this list has had over the
> years a feeling of "community" that the Journal can't really offer.
>
> I have been trying out the new Forum. I have not had any real difficulties
> in posting to it and in uploading pictures (and it has the advantage of
> accepting much larger files).
>
> But it is clear that no general move towards the new Forum system is
> taking place.  It seems to have a relatively small number of dedicated
> regular contributors. The quality of the information and discussion posted
> is fine, just as it is here. But the QUANTITY is very sadly lacking.
>
> Now, there has to be a reason, or several reasons, why we have not all
> migrated quite naturally to the new system.  Various things seem to be
> emerging, from posts here in this thread.  One is that people find it
> harder or less friendly to ACCESS for reading. Another is that people find
> it harder or less friendly to POST TO. Another is that it seems to be
> hader to SEND PHOTOS.
>
> There is the horrible spectre of a self-fulfilling prophecy happening with
> the new Forum: "I don't post there because nobody posts there", morphing
> into Council  saying "We don't need a Forum - nobody uses it anyway".
>
> The collective knowledge, experience and goodwill on all things piano
> that comprises this list, and has done so since the mid 1990s, is FAR too
> good and important a resource to let die by attrition.
>
> I have not over the years become much involved in other Forums such as
> pianoworld, because time is limited and I like the closeness and technical
> expertise of this List community.
>
> Is it the feeling of others, that we simply will not, even given time, be
> able to translate the closeness and technical expertise and immediacy of
> this community, to the new Forum?  If so, and volunteer time is
> unavailable to maintain this List, why not use the money for the new
> Forum, to PAY someone to maintain this list instead?
>
> I have been of the view that perhaps in time as more migrate across, the
> new Forum would begin to feel more like this List. Do others feel that
> that isn't  so, even if everyone moves across, or because people simply
> WON'T move across but will give up instead?
>
> We cannot let this invaluable resource simply die out.
>
> Best regards,
>
> David.
>
>
>