RE: TLUG Server Features [was Re: AW: tlug: before we pack the b

[Jim Schweizer <schweiz@example.com>]

Hi all,

On 18-Feb-98 Craig Oda wrote:
>> Pardon my ignorance, but do people use these? I find
>> the push-format of a mailing list more congenial than
>> the pull-style of a web bbs.
>
>I'd tend to agree with the assessment of the push-format
>mailing list.   The bulk of the mailing list is still kind
>of like tech support.  To me, this is good for a mailing list. 

The mailing list is great, as far as it goes. What comes next,
when TLUG grows to the point of needing a way to handle
multi-threaded conversations? MLs and news groups just don't
scale that well.

Craig and I have similar backgrounds and interests in Virtual
Communities. If you're not interested in that then you should
have a convenient way to filter it out. Likewise, if I'm not a
huge fan of emacs then maybe I don't want to get a lot of mail
about the latest beta. Conferencing systems allow people with a
shared general interest to participate in several
'conversations' at the same time on the same server without the
need to follow all the threads.

As to the question, "Do people use these?", well No. 11. on the
computer top 50 at Amazon.com this week is 'Net Gain : Expanding
Markets Through Virtual Communities' by John Hagel and Arthur
Armstrong. Yes, a large and rapidly expanding number of people
use these. Many businesses are finding these tools to be an
excellent way to provide technical support and training as well
as a way to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Not to mention that they're a LOT OF FUN:-)

Regards,

Jim S.
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