[pianotech] [OT] Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L

[Encore Pianos]

I have been asking myself the same question about the Member Max integration
thing.  I just don't see how important it is to the list users except in the
most limited way (and I cannot figure out what that would even be).  

I'll answer Ron's question.  The Pianotech Forum does not require Member
Max.  That much is obvious, because no such integration existed for the last
15 years and we functioned pretty well without it.  Perhaps the home office
sees a utility in that integration, but no one has explained that to us yet,
and the value would only be for their use and not ours.  I think it is fair
to say that the Pianotech Forum exists primarily for the users - otherwise
why have it at all?   If the Pianotech Forum exists primarlly for the users,
then if we are establishing a hierarchy of values, what would be the more
important value - meeting the users needs and encouraging usage by having
the best possible e-mail server (one that is easy to use and simple, a
measure by which the HL fails compared to even the old list) or meeting some
narrow administrative desire for the home office.   If the users are truly
valued, it is obvious which answer suits us.  

Will





-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [,mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
Behalf Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 5:01 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] [OT] Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L

On 7/2/2011 2:44 PM, Dale Probst wrote:
>
> I know that the Member Max/Higher Logic interface was how we came to HL.

I don't recall that anyone else has asked, so I will. The integration with
Member Max has been invoked as the overwhelming justification for buying the
HL package nearly every time someone complains about the new pianotech
forum. But what does that mean to us? What does Member Max have to do with
the pianotech list? Looking it up, I see it's an organizational management
system, but I don't find mention of mailing list forums. Is Member Max
necessary to Pianotech? If so, how. If not, why is it always thrown up
between the question and a possible answer as a justification for the
current lame forum that is being shoved down our throats when it's
irrelevant? So what's the connection. How does the pianotech forum require
Member Max?


> I'm pretty sure from my conversations with Board members that they 
> want the best they can get.

For whom? That's the core of this discussion.


I have been told that if HL doesn't work, we will
> go another direction.

Again, doesn't work for whom? The pianotech forum already doesn't work for a
considerable number of us, but I don't see any signs of movement addressing
basic function. And is "another direction" another $75K or more spent
without care as to whether the list communities will find the replacement
adequate? We've all been told a lot of stuff, but it's all very fuzzy and
unaccountable.

Here's a suggestion. We have a number of folks in the organization, and more
on the lists, that have professional programming experience. I wouldn't be
surprised if some of them wouldn't volunteer (the magic word
VOLUNTEER!) to give HL's code a look and get some idea what it would really
and truthfully take to make it work for the mail lists. I wouldn't be
surprised if the interface couldn't be reorganized into something usable
too, given someone with experience. From our viewpoint, we can't verify that
HL even truly exists, or that this thing isn't being run by some 16 year and
an iguana in someone's basement.


>I would suggest you read Fred Sturm's post on  PTG-L when you have 
>time. Progress in PTG can try your patience due to  the volunteer basis 
>of the organization. I always heard it compared to  turning an aircraft 
>carrier.

Is HL volunteer? Don't they have a list of changes (which we haven't seen
and can't judge potential usefulness), which they are being paid to
implement? That's what we were told. Is that right?

This thing showed up in February as one giant impenetrable ink cloud. 
 From then to now, we just a couple of days ago got figures on what it cost,
and still can't seem to get information other than "we're working on it".
Since our questions mostly concern the lists and the answers are either
hopelessly vague or office administration specific, will we ever know what
"it" is?

How about we all talk about the same thing, at least?
Ron N