[C320-list] Forums vs. email-list (was thongs.. :)

[Allan Field]

All,

I've learned a lot of interesting and useful things on this "email bulletin board" but, you know, I'm inclined to agree with Bert. This email approach to a bulletin board has its limitations. (Like getting 50 emails a day or more!) To be practical, if there were a lot more members being verbal, this could easily climb into the hundreds per day. To be honest, I was thinking about cancelling my email-membership a while back but couldn't figure out how to do it!    

CRA
Rosebud #882

Jeff - My vote is that what you have set up is perfect.  Regarding the thong
thing, I was there when it happened and enjoy the back-and-forth that seems
to revive itself every 6 months or so.  However, the thread on the boson's
chair did not really mean much to me as I have my own way thank you very
much and I didn't see much on the e-mails that was going to change my mind.
So I just started deleting.  Never underestimate the power of the delete
button!  And Jeff, thanks again for all you do for us. - Allan

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Jeffrey Hare
Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 5:44 PM
To: 'C320-List'
Subject: [C320-list] Forums vs. email-list (was thongs.. :)

Hi Bert,

   The c320-list email subject line is formatted to make it easy for your
email client to automatically filter all messages from this list out into a
separate C320-LIST inbox and away from all your regular email.

  This way, your main inbox is never clogged with traffic from this list.
You can simply browse the unread discussions in your Catalina 320 email
folder using all the power of your email client at your leasure, on or
offline, or just delete them all quite easily.

   I realize many people don't know how to enable this automatic filtering
on their email client, but I assure you it takes only seconds, *one time* to
set up.

   As for moving to web-based forum approach, we could certainly do that and
have discussed it in the past.  However, since you're not averse to logging
in, then you can (with one checkbox click and a submit button click) suspend
your C320 email distributions while you're away on the boat.  And then
resume it the same way when you're back.  Hence ...zero unwanted email from
us... when you return.. :)  Then go browse the web-based archives to see the
threaded traffic from the days you were gone if you're curious.

   As for web-forums, our website already has a fast, web based, fully
searchable category-based discussion FAQ/forum system in place and
functional today. We could simply do away with this email-list and let
people do what you suggest.  It was set up as an experiment/test to see
whether the discussions would migrate to threaded web based forums if the
option was available. But almost nobody has chosen to use it over the email
list, even though you can follow a thread in these forums via email if you
want.  It's way more work than just browsing your Catalina 320 email folder.

   Personally, I wouldn't participate much if the only forum was web based,
simply because I don't care to go browsing through multiple forums each day
trying to page through things I've not read.  But if that's the will of the
group, that's fine with me.

:) 
Maybe that's a plus seeing as I also chimed in on the thong thing!  :) 
:)

-Jeff Hare


PS:  All email sent from this list comes with the text: "[C320-list]" in the
subject line.  Enabling a simple email filter to move any email message
containing that text into a new folder named something like "Catalina 320",
will keep all C320 list traffic grouped in a separate mail folder. 

If I can help you enable your client email filter to automatically organize
C320-list email upon arrival, I'm sure you'll see how quickly the whole
thing becomes a non-issue.



-----Original Message-----
From: BAdams3491 at aol.com [mailto:BAdams3491 at aol.com] 
Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 1:46 PM
To: c320-list at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Tired of Thongs

 
In addition to the C320 forum, I'm on a number of other boat, sailboat  and 
diesel forums.  We own a diesel pickup and a 38' 5th wheel trailer...so  I'm
on 
several RV forums and a diesel truck forum.  ALL of these forums,  except 
ours, make it very easy to navigate through, and pick and choose the  topics
you 
wish to read and/or make comment.  Rather than receiving emails,  the other 
forums are used by signing on, then navigating through the various  topics
and 
threads...they send and I receive no email.  With our forum, we  get lots of

emails and have no choice as to which topics we can  read/comment.  We have
to 
go through all of them just to get rid of them  (or delete them which I do
not 
do).  Is there a way we could make our forum  like the others?  Have major 
topics (like Hull, Engine, Electrical, Water,  Rigging, Auto Pilot, Radar, 
Anchoring, 12 Volt Power, AC Power, etc), and let  the reader log on and
surf the 
areas in which he/she is interested?  If I  have been gone for a few days
(on 
the boat!), I come home, get on line, and have  100 emails awaiting me, 75%
of 
which are from the C320 forum, and half of  those I do not care about.
 
I'd offer a suggestion or idea, but am not computer literate enough to do  
that.  Maybe one of you smart computer guys out there can help.
 
Bert
At Ease
#442