[missing-sync-palmos-talk] Re: List question

[Glenn Henshaw]

On 8-Aug-06, at 4:49 PM, Martin wrote:

> As with all things in life, things become useful if they can be  
> found and if
> they are organized.
>
>> totally useless as any kind of technical
>> resource.
>
> Currently the messaages in this list (in my email box) are not  
> organized
> because each mail has the same category when it comes in.  
> Information can
> therefore NOT easily be "found" -- only easily be "searched" for.
>
> There is a big difference in "find" and "search". The "searcher"  
> must know
> (exactly) what he or she is looking for. And the spelling be better  
> correct!
> And what if an author misspelled important words? Will a search for  
> "synch"
> come up with "sync" as result? A lot of users don't even speak  
> english as
> their mother language. Spanish would be more likely - or Chinese...
>
> Must I set up multiple categories in my email program and attribute  
> them to
> each email message as it comes in -- to facilitate future findings?

   I file each list in it's own folder. I might file multiple related  
lists in the same folder.

>
> Furthermore, I cannot search for articles in the past because I  
> recycle and
> archive my email (as should do everybody) because this keeps my  
> application
> and database slim, sporty and fast (Entourage in my case).

   I think that this is an Entourage failing, Spotlight should help  
in searching messages with the latest version. Apple Mail has always  
been faster in searching in my opinion.

>
> A forum is in every aspect better:
>
> 1. A forum can be organized in Tutorials, Stickies, numerous  
> Subtopics (for
> example synch issues vs. application install issues -- to name a few).
>
> 2. A board can allow attached images (screenshots) of problematic
> constallations (error messages, lenghty log reports, window and  
> preference
> settings).
>
> 3. vBulletin also allows "related" topics which serves a novice as  
> it offers
> alternative verbage to a subject which lets the novice then  
> successfully
> search for a solution if he or she can't find it. Keep in mind that  
> novices
> often don't know how to express themselves, yet alone to "search" the
> solution. A novice rather want's to "find" a solution by BROWSING  
> magazine
> style content rather than scrolling through ENDLESS emails - in  
> ASCII...

   Web based forums have their downsides as well. One must be online  
to do anything with the forum. You can't catch up on some older  
issues while traveling, for instance. One must visit the forum  
regularly to see if there are any new messages. You don't know if  
something is new or interesting until you log on.

   This is fundamentally the difference between a push (email) and  
pull (web) technology. RSS helps make web technologies look like push  
technologies at the expense of bandwidth and CPU time.

>
> Think about this: why does Apple use a discussion forum and not an  
> email
> list? Answer: because that company reaches out for the novice.  
> Anybody who
> encounters a problem and does not have the solution is a novice at  
> that
> moment.

   Apple uses both. Most of the technical discussions are via email  
lists. Their forums are being abandoned as we speak because of the  
difficulty in controlling them.

    ... Glenn

-- 
Glenn Henshaw              Ottawa, Canada
Email: thraxisp4 at mac.com