Rob/RSA

Those who feel that the talk list should be changed to a forum please contact the Registry president. If you are a member of the registry let him know your preference and if you are a former member, and would rejoin if the format was changed, please let him know that as well. There is a very vocal minority in that club that is very resistant to change, lets let them know how the rest of us feel.


Chuck House, President

ChuckHouse@356registry.org

ked

well, it sounds like change is in the air, & not just in DC!
there is no reason that the Registry can't maintain its long-standing quality & fellowship AND move into the 21st Century (aka "the present"). I encourage all members to contact Chuck in a most constructive effort to effect this improvement. that includes 356 owners who would join (or rejoin) the Registry when 356Talk is updated. The Registry is open to all 356 enthusiasts - you don't have to own one to be a member (but it is a great step toward that goal). now, off to craft my missive...

APEXHNTR

Hi Chuck,

I just wanted to add my 02 cents and say that a forum for our 356 Registry would be a mighty fine idea.

Robert Verhelle
Member #19140
1960 356B cab. S-90

JUST SENT-GREAT IDEA!

RJT

We are members of the Registry and will always be members of the Registry. We have been off of 356talk for a year now. The current 356Talk format is annoying to both myself and to Robert. When we were subscribed to 356talk, we'd get more than 100 emails a day clogging up our mail box. Many times the answers would start popping up before the initial question would come through making them hard to follow. On occassion we do sign back on for a day or two to see what is happening, get tired of the emails, and then sign back off. A web based forum would be a WELCOME change. We've talked to Registry Directors about it before. So far, same old - same old.... Old Cars, Even Older Folks, Old Format..................

We can't really complain about it too much anyway. It's not like Robert and I could offer up our services to help bring about this change. We know nothing about what it takes to start up and then run a web based forum at all. If we did, we'd offer to help. It's unfortuate that the wealth of knowledge that exists within the Registry Members is only accessable through an antiquated system.

carrera79

hi,
my 2 cents from france and recently member of the registry
I'm a member of a big porsche forum (www.club911.net) in france very active (abour 600 members with 45$ membership, about 3000 free members) and we are hundreds every days postings on the forum.
i would be very happy to have the talk list go into the 21st century.
fred

jcnesq

This subject has been beaten to death on the Talk List every 6 months or so. I've been on the List for 18 months or so (still in high intake learning mode). Unfortunately, some of the strongest opposition comes from the older, most knowledgeable and best connected old timers in the Registry - and without their contributions, much of the value of the List would be diminished.

IMHO, the bottom line is the List is not going to be changed any time soon. Although I would much prefer a BBS system, I have also concluded that the current list does "work", and if that's what keeps the veterans posting, I can live with that.

I suspect the only way its going to change is for someone to invent a way to sort of run a parallel system for a while, letting those opposed sample the waters, and hopefully like what they see.

356-930

356 Talk is antiquated but useful/valuable.
To avoid receiving emails all day long, when you sign up, check “digest,” one of the two choices.
The digest is sent once a day at aprox 9:00 p.m. PST and lists in order 1 to . . . .the subject line of each email post. See something of interest, scroll down and read it. Easy to find the responses/replies to any item of interest too. If nothing piques your interest, delete the days talk.

Steve Jensen

I didn't reply ot the similar thread on pp forums... however...

I was running a web based archive of 356talk for a few years ago. I ended up being mostly depressed, and the Registry took it over with a more complete archive - I only had messages since I subscribed in late 2000.

Technologically, it would be possible to have a forum set up that also takes in and sends out emails, to keep 356talk the way it is but also have a web forum like here. However, the tech guys that do stuff for the Reg website are also running an ISP, etc. and doing free work isn't a priority.

If I finally get some time and my sanity back, I can happily start working on it again, but with work and family it would be quite a few months still.

Perhaps if I can start the resto on my '65 C coupe that will be incentive for me to start it up again...

ked

already sent in my note to Chuck, but I'd like to point out a few things others here have thoughtfully brought up...
- the daily digest may avoid receiving 50-100 distinct emails, but that's all it does. in fact, the moderators must (& do) command members NOT to over-utilize Talk - now, isn't THAT a heck-of-a-way to respond to growing participation in a service? further, unless you are on real-time, you don't have a shot on items members make available on the spur of the moment.
- due to the current system, the moderators interrupt ongoing discussions because of the limited technical capacity, general irrelevance and/or excessive detail. how long CAN you go on about CA DMV issues? well, on a forum like RL, to your heart's content - no problemo! & on the other hand, wouldn't it be worthwhile to have ONE super-thread about unpainted metal surface prep?
- in fact, the Registry system is a "top-down" architecture, everything MUST be controlled from above by a small group enforcing discipline to keep the old ways functioning. a RL-forum style is "bottom-up", wherein the topics are unconstrained (other than manners - & has there ever been a moderator intervention on this 356 forum? it is a paragon of virtue! well, I exagerate, but only a little...) & driven wholly by participant's interests. As a moderator, I could not tolerate almost constant & exclusive enforcement duty under the Talk system - I am shocked they put up w/ it.
- every arguement I have read against a modern system has a technical solution, w/ very little, if any, behavioral changes or learning required. The Talk system CANNOT optimally address the user environment the world is now in, much less the future. New support services for cherished hardware is critical for high quality, long-lasting, robust usage. In his "Structure of Scientific Revolutions", Thomas Kuhn points out that one of the drivers for paradigm change is that members of the old order simply die out - I hope this isn't the model that the Registry embraces, whether defacto or dejure. {heuristic question: what is it amongst old orders - hard-wiring, fear or selfishness?}
- I really appreciate the efforts (like Steve's & others) made to bring Talk kicking & screaming into the 21st Century. Often, people & orgs will do through reaction what they could/ought to have done through vision.
- Jim, you are probably right about the parallel universe approach - run both & see what happens. if $ is the issue; set a budget, put it to an all-members vote, & see what happens...

mini-rant over, but it is frustrating to watch a worthy & desirable group (including the recalcitrant curmudgeons - don't they remind you of a cranky great-uncle who argues against everything & then quietly accepts whatever the family decides?) contend over an innevitable development that is actually a benefit to all. now, if it gets over 55 today, I'm taking out the red sled.
cheers!

RJT

Yes that is true, but it still doesn't work the way it could. You still have to scroll through all the subject lines to find the ones that 'match up' to what we are interested in reading about, as opposed to threads like we have here on RL.

Like I said before, since we can't help with the change, we aren't complaining. We just utilize talk when we need it.

RJT

356 folks paying an extra $45.00 for a forum???


Now that's a discussion I would love to evesdrop on!!!!!!

Steve Jensen

Actually, if you subscribe to as-they-come mails instead of digest, it is very easy to set up filters in your email client - anything with [356talk] in the subject gets moved to a sub-folder of your inbox. Makes searching them on your own machine much easier than searching thru digests since you can search by sender, subject, etc.

jcnesq

That's exactly what I do (I also set up a separate email address); easier than trying to hunt through the digest, doesn't interfere with my normal mail, and can be read / filed / deleted at my leisure.

Stratman

I've stated before I will rejoin if they get a new type of forum. Something like this one or Pelican. Until then I'll just do without. They certainly think they don't need new members or they would change and quit telling all you to do is this and this and this, and then it is easy. Bla.

Leader

The Registry's listserv method of communicating simply cannot handle the number of "messages" it gets on a daily basis without fulltime "moderation."
The "digest" option delivers a day's worth of communication in a jumble that's harder to follow than a scene from a Robert Altman movie.
Tighter controls by the list monitors might make things easier to follow, but it might also stifle the guys who participate the most in the list.
A forum set-up similar to this one would be my preference, but I know selling this to the "older members" will be extremely difficult.
I haven't subscribed to the Registry Talk List in several months. It's a lot of work for the return it provides. Every time I give it a new try, I wind up frustrated and de-subscribe.