Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] PSUBS Web Forums Proposal and Request for Idea's/Feedback.

[Jon Wallace <jonw@psubs.org>]

Hi Stewart,

We already have a web based forum online at 
http://www.psubs.org/webforum which is selectable off of the main menu 
from our home page and is configured into various categories.  It was 
created nearly four years ago, but it has never been a popular method 
for discussion with this group which is why I've never pushed it as a 
primary solution.  There are pros and cons for both web and email based 
discussions, however we've made both methods available (I created the 
web forum over the objections of many people) and it appears that the 
email forum continues to be the favored "flavor".  I have no specific 
preference and am comfortable with both types of forums.

Regarding having all data in one place, we have that available in our 
archives which can be searched and are browsable.  While accessing 
specific data from the volume of material we have archived has been 
criticized, the fact is that a web forum would offer no more relief.  A 
search of the web forum would still be required and that search would 
produce hundreds of entries that would have to be reviewed by the user.  
Categories are useful at a high level, but offer no advantage at a low 
level when looking for specific information.

In reference to photos, while a web forum provides the opportunity to 
attach a photo to the message you have to balance that against the 
effect on the reader.  The problem today is that people have 6, 8, and 
10 megapixel cameras that result in photos having huge file sizes and 
they typically do not think to reduce them in size prior to uploading.  
That can create problems for the reader since reading a specific topic 
means not only downloading the text but any attached photos in any of 
the responses of that topic.  If a topic has a lot of discussion, with a 
lot of attached photos, you're looking at alot of data transfer.

In reference to members subs and project pages, I don't think the web 
forum provides any advantage here.  Our current web site provides an 
easy to use menu based interface for updating photos and projects by 
members themselves.  Here again, you have to think both sides of the 
coin and also account for ease of use by the reader.  In a web forum 
there would have to be a separate topic for each project, and each topic 
would have a separate message for each photo uploaded.  Since the layout 
becomes sequential, and the uploader would likely provide their photos 
in native format, you would end up at the beginning of topic with lots 
of big files to follow through.  Separating the projects from the 
discussion, such as we have on the web site, allows the reader to target 
what they want to look at and be presented with thumbnail photos that 
download much faster and allow easier navigation.

Regardless, web forums have advantages and are a popular discussion 
tool.  If you believe web forums are the way to go and the email 
discussion is not effective, I think your efforts would be better 
directed at convincing others of its virtues and getting people to 
contribute more to the web forum we currently have.

Jon




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