Are there other piano tech discussion forums?

[Brian Henselman]

Thanks for the info!  I've never tried newsgroups before.  From your
description below it sounds like a challenge for newbie computer forum
users, and potentially offensive for the uninformed.

I suspected that those addresses were part of "Usenet".  I'm not experienced
enough, nor brave enough to try that yet.  However, I have just started up a
newbie pianotech discussion forum site at  http://network54.com/forum/32693
This site has a vulgarity filter in place, and if we start posting there
regularly, it should be a great way to share and discuss piano tech
information.

I got the idea from a computer company that makes video and audio cards.
They set up a free troubleshooting discussion forum at netbabbler.com  This
company was then absorbed by network54.com.  These forum hosts pay for their
use by placing banners on each site.  I've found them to be extremely
professional, and reliable, and it doesn't cost any of us anything.

It should eventually help us cut down on the amount of e-mail that this list
generates, and it could prove to be a lot of fun too.  Come on guys, start
posting stuff there and lets get this baby off the ground.

-Brian

>I'm replying publicly in case anyone is interested and has not been exposed
to
>Usenet discussion forums (AKA newsgroups or NGs).  I should mention that
>"Usenet", where the above forums may be found, is a somewhat-unregulated
part
>of the Internet where some of the more unseemly things about the net exist.
If
>you are so inclined this is a good place to employ "filters" if you don't
want
>to see any of that stuff. I might also add that it's possible that if you
post
>using your real EMail address you may receive unwanted spam in your
mailbox.
>
>On the other hand there is a wealth of information to be found there. Using
>Deja.com (DejaNews) described below you can search for all kinds of
discussions
>or articles for sale that may interest you.
>
>>There are the newsgroups rec.music.makers.piano as well as
>>alt.music.piano-technician. The first gets a LOT of traffic, and the
second
>>hardly any.
>
>Point your browser to http://www.deja.com and from there search
"Discussions"
>for "Piano". I'm not sure how they relate, but the "Top Forums" that came
up
>related to piano when I did that just now were alt.religion.scientology and
>alt.revisionism as well as the top choice, rec.music.makers.piano.
>
>I suspect alt.music.piano-technician is not seen at every news server
including
>DejaNews. Mine carries it, but it's a very low-traffic group. It seems most
>technicians, including some who post here regularly, prefer the rmmp (as
it's
>colloquially known) newsgroup. BTW, My provider (CADVision) carries roughly
40
>thousand different newsgroups, so there's an awful lot there. Some
providers
>(like CADVision's "Family" service) filter out the worst offenders before
you
>see them.
>
>Good luck... and try to stay out of trouble!  B-})
>
>                        John
>
>John Musselwhite, RPT -  Calgary, Alberta Canada
>Registered Piano Technician   http://www.musselwhite.com
>email: john@musselwhite.com - blues@musselwhite.com
>
>