I vote with Jerry for a forum. When I first started to go through the mailing list archives, it was a real nuisance to not have topics with the threads beneath them.
The mailing list isn't such a good format for newbies, but its limitations go almost unnoticed by the regulars. Isn't a large part of the Revolution/MetaCard goal to attract and keep newbies? If yes, then more emphasis should be placed there. I belong to or lurk several MM authoring forums. I've seen several designs that are very good. There is no reason why a good one (with good design, UI, etc.) couldn't be implemented for the Revolution community. This is, afterall the 21st century people... miscdas Jerry Thomas writes: > > > Dear Mailing List Participants, > > I have been using the runrev mailing list for a few weeks now and OK I'm a > newbie to revolution. > > But, because I am a developer who uses several different software packages > I belong to several different use groups and I'm not a newbie to > multimedia or support. > > I believe(with much experience behind it)that the user mailing list is a > very poor way to assist users and that FORUMS are by far the better idea. > Yes, I know, most Rev users are so used to this system that change may be > resisted but the long term best interests of everybody would be served by > the changeover to a forum method. > > WHY A FORUM METHOD? > > First topics are defined by the header and replies go directly underneath > that header so when a user responds to a given thread it can easily be > understood. With the mailing list, unless you republish the question the > reply just hangs there in space with no context. With the forum method the > next replier can reply to the reply and to the general topic and be well > understood. > > There is so much repeated,republished text in the mailing list method that > just wastes time and space but without which the list would be > incomprehensible. > > Second forums provide continuity, with a search function you can quickly > determine whether someone asked your same question months or even years > ago with out searching archives. > > Third, forums can provide a way to separate topics so that one doesn't > have to read many,many posts that are unrelated or irelevant to your > project or topic. > > > Everytime I go to read the Runrev mailing list I come away needing eye > drops and aspirin for my head. > > > The interesting thing is that you already have a forum but have relegated > it to newbies. The truth is that newbies can't teach newbies very well. > The best thing for learning is a mix of a pool of experienced users who > are willing to help and newbies willing to learn. > > I think both your experienced users and your newbies (if you intend for > the company and community to grow) would be far better off moving over to > the existing forum and the company Runtime Revolution would be better off > if it had easier to understand support. > > Check out a high quality forum for Multimedia Builder at > www.mediachance.com (web boards from the menu on the home page) Like Run > rev this is a real COMMUNITY of users. The forum method means that you > can follow the conversations and learn from topics and threads that can go > back months and even in one case years. > > Right now as it stands you have a very difficult to understand mailing > list and a sorely treated, almost competely unused forum. > > Thanks for listening. I'm just trying to help you build a better company > and user community. > > What do people think about moving this user group over into the existing > forum? Any Comments or suggestions? > > Thanks again > > Jerry > > _________________________________________________________________ > MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: > http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx > > _______________________________________________ > use-revolution mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution _______________________________________________ use-revolution mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
