<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Hi Phil:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Thank you for your explanation and response.  I do appreciate it, and thanks also for the cc. to Alec.  <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>My pain is not the point here.  I’m not going to go to my grave stewing over it.  It is a temporary inconvenience.  <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>I can understand certain aspects of their response, they have made some improvements, but the HL program is disappointingly too much like it was a year ago.  Were we not supposed to have a new interface some months ago?  And the bug I pointed out has likely been there for many years, and that is my point since it is so basic a function. It seems likely that Ron Nossaman is right when he says they probably do not know how to fix it.  <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>I am not averse to other programs for Forum software.  If the powers that be could consider seeking other alternatives, with the benefit of hindsight with HL, we could approach other developers with our necessary list of functions and find something better – I don’t think our needs are particularly unique in terms of core functionality.  A logical, easy to use interface is out there somewhere, with customizability to meet our occasional needs.  What is hard about creating an easily accessible Help system?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>David Love has made the point on several occasions that having two forums existing side by side is ultimately not in the best interest of high participation and the most free flow of communication.  I agree with that.  Let us start the search for a quality program that our organization can afford that will replace both the old Forum and the HL one.  I truly hope that can be put on the table at the National.   <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>I know it is not easy, and that interface design is particularly challenging.  Some are better than others. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Will Truitt<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Phil Bondi<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, May 23, 2012 5:37 AM<br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Cc:</b> Alex Foster<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] pianotech Digest, Vol 43, Issue 128<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Will said:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><A year ago, I wrote a lengthy response to a post on the HL list that I had<br>spent half an hour composing .  I needed to check something, so I minimized<br>the post.  When I tried to return to maximize it, the message was gone,<br>chucked out the invisible doggy door into the ether.  I was not happy, to<br>put it mildly.  I shared my disgust with the readers of the forum, since<br>what I was trying to do is a basic Windows function. ><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Will. I feel your pain since it has happened to me also, once.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>I have taken the liberty of Cc:ing Alec on this. I know HL knows of our 'autosave' request(Alec please remind them? thanks). I have been told it is on their list of improvements to be made. That was some time ago. Frankly, I am tired of their 'carrot' method of sales/promises of improvements. The difference between what we see as a fault/needing to be fixed and their method of repair is not compatible. Never has been. We want it done now and their method is globally for all users every 6-8 weeks, and even then, if a particular problem is not on the hit list, it has to wait for the next round of updates(maybe) in another 2 months. Will, in your case it has been a year.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>For the record, I am a fan of forum software for community communications like pianotech. I also understand that email, particularly this server and its software, has become like an old shirt for those who use it. It's comfortable - it's familiar, and the users understand its faults and are willing to overlook the warts. Understood. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>If this stuff was easy, it wouldn't be this much fun?,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>-Phil<br><br><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></body></html>