At 09:31 AM 10/27/2009, Samudra Haque wrote:

With a forum, you can unclutter your mailbox, and also the forum system can always tag messages according to a timeline/subject/thread whatsoever, so if you are really busy (are we not all busy ... its a hobby of course) then just wait to log on, and then when you do, the system can show you (if desired) all of the unread messages in the various topics you are subscribed to (Think: USENET Newsgroup style focus) unless you wish to say "catchup" and then all is marked as read.

Doesn't work for me, the fastest and most reliable processor I have for sorting messages (once they've been filtered into their own folder by my mail software) is the one between my ears. The additional delays caused by interacting with the network in real time means I can get through about 1/10 of the number of posts in forums as I can in email. I don't trust threading, due to thread drift (happens here in email, happens on forums too, it's a human thing ;) ). I've battled these monstrosities for _years_.

In your current system of receiving messages from the "amsat-bb" mailing list, unless you have a very large mailbox and never delete your message pool, you are (we are..) all keeping separate message copies for each and every reply, instead of just the delta's for each message kept on a server somewhere. This method is not only bandwidth inefficient, it also means YOU the user are responsible for tracking your threads and keeping up to date. Would you not wish to lessen your burden just a little bit by having the system keep track of where you are in your hobby ?

Nope, because my means of keeping track are vastly more accurate and reliable than any forum system. That is due to quirks in how my brain works, but I'm able to exploit those quirks. And yes, I do keep large archives. :)

If you like, the forum can also mail all relevant postings to you as regular SMTP mail, so if you don't like the forum, that's ok too.

The problem is then a context shift back to the forum is required to reply. _very_ few forums (FUDforum is one that does though) implement a decent attached mailing list.

73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com