Subject: Vintage Computer Message Board

From: "Erik Klein" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Apr 30 00:40:25 2003

Hello,

I would like to announce a new message board that I have created in 
support of our community.

During the past couple of years I’ve been participating as a member of 
this mailing list as well as several related ones.  I have made a few 
observations that I felt needed addressing including: 
-	the need for a better way to advertise items or help (wanted or 
offered)
-	the ability to support off topic conversations along with on-
topic ones without burdening those not interested in one or the other
-	the ability to easily search archives for topics of interest
-	the ability to keep “threads” of discussion together
-	the ability to categorize these threads for easier research

With the above in mind I decided to experiment with a web based 
bulletin board (a long way from my days with RBBS and WWIV).  Over the 
past month or so I have changed my web hosting service for www.vintage-
computer.com in order to work with a hosting company that could support 
the new forum I was considering.  Over this past weekend I finished the 
initial phases of moving my site and configuring the boards.  The 
result is now available for use at www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum.  A 
link is also available from my www.vintage-computer.com front page.

Since my web hosting has been recently moved the new DNS information 
may not have completely propagated yet.  If you get an error trying to 
access the above address or if the message board link from my home page 
refers you to an ezBoard page, please try back a little later.

There are two things that I would like to stress about the new forums.  
First, I don’t envision them as a threat to this mailing list or the 
community that supports it.  I see it as another tool in our toolbox 
(or toy in our toy chest) to enhance our enjoyment of our hobby.

Second, although I set up these forums I consider them to be “ours” in 
as broad a sense as that is possible.  I am not only willing, but 
anxious to have others participate in these forums as administrators, 
moderators and contributors.  Volunteers are welcome and operators are 
standing by!

Hopefully if you are reading this you will see your way clear to 
popping over for a visit and supporting this effort with whatever you 
are willing to offer, be that participation, suggestions or criticism.  
Again, this is our community and I will do my best to make these forums 
reflect that.

Thank you and best regards,

Erik S. Klein
www.vintage-computer.com

---

From: "Stan Sieler" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri May 2 01:20:20 2003

> -	the ability to categorize these threads for easier research

That's all easily achievable with the current CC-TALK/CC-TECH.
...just use a small prefix (from a small set of group endorsed ones).

E.g.:   OT: iraqi playing cards
where "OT" means "Off Topic"

> link is also available from my www.vintage-computer.com front page.

The inherent problem with the current vcforum web interface is the large
amount of extra work that people need to do to use it.  With CC-TALK, all the
current posts are visible (one per line) on my screen.  With vcforum, I
have to scroll the index web page to see what sections have new posts.
For each section with a new post, I have to click on it (deciding whether or
not to click-into-new-window or click-into-same-window), just to see the list
of topics in that section.  Then I have to potentially scroll (not now, but
later, as more topics are posted) to see which topics have new posts ...
the end result it that it takes me 10 to 20 times longer to "catch up" as
it does with CC-TALK/CC-TECH.

Could this be fixed?  Yes.  There could be an alternate presentation page which
lists all new posts, one per line ... sortable by topic or date-posted.
I should be able to quickly mark any I wish as "ignore" (aka "delete" in a
mail reader).  However, most web based forums use the server to accomplish
updates, as opposed to doing more work just behind the glass (e.g., java
to collect the updates/markings/wishes and then upload the set to the server).
That's easier, of course, but clearly makes for more work and/or slower
response for the user.

One person's comments, anyway :)

-- 
Stan Sieler
[email-masked]
www.allegro.com/sieler/wanted/index.html