Subj : Re: BBS Sysop Help Desk (discord)
To : aLPHA
From : Avon
Date : Mon Oct 25 2021 10:31 am
On 24 Oct 2021 at 09:18a, aLPHA pondered and said...
aL> I know others feel differently, no need to re-hash the "off platform"
aL> debate :)
aL>
aL> Anyway -- I've setup a dedicated community JUST for BBS SysOp help.
aL> For new sysops (new to BBSing), AND experienced one. Share code snippets.
aL> Work in progress art. Debug scripts/mods. Celebrate the medium. There are
aL> areas for each BBS type (e.g. Mystic, Talisman, Synchronet, Enigma, WWIV,
aL> etc.)
I wish you well but lament that the information and knowledge discussed may be lost to FTN echos like this (and on othernets). With a growing array of non BBS platforms to host BBS discussions it's an unfortunate byproduct of such things.
aL> As a Sysop, you have a few places you can go for support. This sub is a
aL> great place for help! But sometimes, I need a bit more
aL> interactive/real-time help in BBS setup and coding/scripting. Help in a
aL> way that's more difficult/time-consuming over FTNs.
While FTN echos are not 'real time' I'd argue in todays Internet connected BBS world you're very likely to post and get a reply within minutes rather than days. Those who are not about can read and contribute at a time and time zone that suits them. I understand that may not be enough for some and indeed some prefer to voice chat etc.
For me echomail is a core part of the BBSing experience, and a written record within the BBS community of the exchange of thoughts, ideas and information taking place at a given date/time on assorted topics.
Yep those conversations can take place anywhere really - in email, via Zoom etc. etc... but to engage in written form with others using the original medium that BBS offer for such things, is (for me at least) part of the experience of using and enjoying the medium today, and as it was, way back in the 90s.
Just how well that works here or on Discord or anywhere is a function of where people choose to hangout and share their ideas and conversation.
On that count my hope is that by having all of these other choices for people to participate in we're not cannibalizing some at the expense of others and inadvertently making it harder for folks to find what information they are looking actually for.
To conclude, I do wish you well. But like you, I'd like to share my reasoning as to why I think echomail discussions (on all sorts of topics and certainly subjects to do with BBS help and other related themes) are still well worth having in what is a hyper-connected world offering so many other channels of connectivity.
