[pianotech] the fate of pianotech (OT?)

[Encore Pianos]

Perhaps I was not sufficiently clear.  I do not believe that Pianotech
should be retired until another program is found that meets all of the needs
that Pianotech met at least as well (doing so as easily or more easily than
Pianotech),  even better in some areas, and offers new and meaningful
functionalities.   I don't think HL is that program, and suffer no illusions
that it ever can be.  I don't believe the company has the commitment,
competence, or intelligence to ever make it a good product.   I think it is
likely that  there are software products out there that we can afford, and
can meet (or be customized to meet) our needs.  I doubt that our needs are
all that different from other organizations that use these kinds of
products.   It's pretty clear that HL has been a costly debacle.   We have
the opportunity to have the benefit of hindsight, given all the mistakes
that were made in this process.  Given all the rotten cabbages that have
been tossed in the last year or so, I'll be optimistic and believe that
those who would be empowered to make these choices would do what they could
to avoid lining up for target practice by the membership.  Which is to say
we will have much clearer idea of what we want, and better be able to
determine if a particular software developer can deliver those goods.  

  Kiss - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

That study committee should be started at the next council, otherwise we
wait another year like this.  

Maintaining two lists is not in the best way to have the most vital and free
flowing forum that we can have.  HL's failings are too many and varied for
it to be the product to successfully carry the Forum into the future.  There
are certainly people who do not want Pianotech to continue forever, and some
of their reasons are valid.  

What is worrisome to me is that there seems to be almost no discussion about
exploring other options (or at least no one is telling us such things are
being considered)  

Your fellow spectator of the race to the bottom,

Will




-Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2012 11:39 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] the fate of pianotech (OT?)

On 5/31/2012 9:55 AM, Encore Pianos wrote:
> I'll try to make my point simply.  I think a study committee should be 
> formed to seek a good quality replacement for both Pianotech and the 
> Higher Logic program.

This is the very best attitude they could hope for. It makes it dead easy
for them to justify dumping Mailman. They bought HL on their own authority
and dumped it on us without consideration or recourse, because they wanted
it. That won't change until they decide it was a mistake from their own
perspective and by their own criteria.


>Pianotech is very long in the tooth and can't be expected to  last 
>forever.

So they keep telling us over and over and over. It seems to be working
because now you're telling us the same thing over and over and over,
supporting their position in their minds.

This is, yet again, why I originally suggested and continue to suggest that
HL be made to, in ADDITION to any other "features" it has that may actually
work, at LEAST replicate all the functions of the Mailman list. 
We would lose nothing in functionality, and Mailman could go. What I don't
understand is this psychotic administrative group reaction to suggesting
that HL should be made to at least meet the functionality of Mailman. The
severe negative reaction to the suggestion is far out of proportion to the
suggestion itself, which I considered the only sensible approach from the
beginning.

Ron N