[pianotech] A Report from the other side; was About my web host....

[Ron Nossaman]

On 2/12/2012 7:45 AM, ed440 at mindspring.com wrote:

> On the user help group there is a busy discussion between PTG staff and users,
> with what appears to be success and satisfaction.

With one very fundamental, obvious, and serious exclusion. The new 
system still offers no equivalent to the email based old (real) 
Pianotech list, in attaching files and reading attached files so there 
is no need to log on to the web forum to do so. This was one of the 
earliest requests, and has yet to be sensibly addressed.

There actually are a number of us who prefer not logging on to a forum 
to participate, but the offered "feature" doesn't work with file 
attachments. In an email client, we get no indication which of the 
downloaded messages (too large a percentage of which are still 
complaints and discussion of this marvelous new system) have a file 
association, unless we open and read the message. It's still easy to 
miss even then. Messages from the old Pianotech are clearly flagged by 
the email client as including an attachment.

So once again, I ask. If we are offered a "legacy" option for email 
based use of the lists, why can't it be made to work? A year into it, we 
hear that the character set thing is being finally fixed real soon. 
Well, maybe, but if now, why not then? And why can't the email users 
attach and receive files without having to log on? I don't know how 
common it is, but in my case I've elected not to attach clarifying 
photos or spreadsheets because of the unnecessary hassle. My point is 
that if an email function is offered, make it work or don't offer it. 
I've been screamed at a couple of times for repeatedly suggesting this, 
but I have yet to receive an intelligent response as to why it hasn't 
been done. Will I ever?


> Technical discussions are happening on CAUT and Pianotech.

Ambiguously put, as the bulk of it still seems to be on the old email 
based Pianotech.


> A "How to Subscribe" video is being made.

I'd be embarrassed that such a thing was necessary if I was trying to 
sell a system to people already forced into it.


> Someone subscribing now might not understand what all the fuss has been about.
> Ed Sutton

Administratively put... Likely not, if no one cares about the long time 
supporters and participants. This is worded as if it's all over and 
everyone is happy. Such is not the case.

PS: Why was this posted to the old perpetually condemned Pianotech email 
list instead of the new constantly improved (necessarily) HL system? A 
greater number of recipients, perhaps? Fix the lame HL legacy option to 
provide the same simple functionality as the old Pianotech list, get all 
the archives into usable format (including all those spreadsheets those 
new subscribers and most of the current ones aren't aware of), and you 
can dump the old system and still serve it's subscribers without all 
this nonsense.

Ron N