One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums

From: kalim1998 at yahoo.com (a san juan) on 2008.07.10 at 15:33:52(18132) I think one problem with the IAS is that it does not have an "official" forum or discussion board. People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. The Aroid-L mailing list is supposed to address this, but one thing I noticed is that the contents of the archive are NOT available to google search engine. ALL the enormous content from past times is thus hidden from potential aroiders. I encountered this when searching for P. x evansii information. All the hits I got where from other websites, and I had to directly go to the aroid-l site and do a second search there. This means that aroiders have to continuously tell people that there is such a thing as the IAS and that it DOES have a repository of very useful information in the Aroid-L archives. Can we get it so google can search the aroid-l archives? As an aside, other plant groupings have very successful discussion forums, for example, the Palm Society. The advantage of discussion forums is (1) The layout is MUCH better than email; (2) Topics are segregated into useful sections (e.g. Growing tips, General Discussion, etc); (3) You can upload permanent images into the threads; (4) It is searchable by google; (5) You can use smilies ;-) +More -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080710/61d24236/attachment-0001.htm

From: kalim1998 at yahoo.com (a san juan) on 2008.07.10 at 16:05:08(18133) #6 It's easier to follow the thread of a conversation in discussion boards, unlike in mailing lists, where the asynchronous, non-realtime nature of the thing makes it hard sometimes to follow the thread of a conversation. --- On Thu, 7/10/08, a san juan wrote: From: a san juan +More Subject: One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: aroid-l at gizmoworks.com Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008, 11:33 AM I think one problem with the IAS is that it does not have an "official" forum or discussion board. People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. The Aroid-L mailing list is supposed to address this, but one thing I noticed is that the contents of the archive are NOT available to google search engine. ALL the enormous content from past times is thus hidden from potential aroiders. I encountered this when searching for P. x evansii information. All the hits I got where from other websites, and I had to directly go to the aroid-l site and do a second search there. This means that aroiders have to continuously tell people that there is such a thing as the IAS and that it DOES have a repository of very useful information in the Aroid-L archives. Can we get it so google can search the aroid-l archives? As an aside, other plant groupings have very successful discussion forums, for example, the Palm Society. The advantage of discussion forums is (1) The layout is MUCH better than email; (2) Topics are segregated into useful sections (e.g. Growing tips, General Discussion, etc); (3) You can upload permanent images into the threads; (4) It is searchable by google; (5) You can use smilies ;-) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080710/033d5707/attachment-0001.htm

From: StroWi at t-online.de (StroWi at t-online.de) on 2008.07.14 at 07:01:18(18140) Dear a san juan, speaking for me, I am fine with the mailing list. And I think it is much easier to look after a mailing list for the moderator, than running a forum; however, Steve might know better..... And as for searching, I am pretty happy with this: http://www.hort.net/lists/aroid-l/ +More Happy searching, too, Bernhard. -----Original Message----- Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:05:08 +0200 Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums From: a san juan To: aroid-l at gizmoworks.com #6 It's easier to follow the thread of a conversation in discussion boards, unlike in mailing lists, where the asynchronous, non-realtime nature of the thing makes it hard sometimes to follow the thread of a conversation. --- On Thu, 7/10/08, a san juan wrote: From: a san juan Subject: One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: aroid-l at gizmoworks.com Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008, 11:33 AM I think one problem with the IAS is that it does not have an "official" forum or discussion board. People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. The Aroid-L mailing list is supposed to address this, but one thing I noticed is that the contents of the archive are NOT available to google search engine. ALL the enormous content from past times is thus hidden from potential aroiders. I encountered this when searching for P. x evansii information. All the hits I got where from other websites, and I had to directly go to the aroid-l site and do a second search there. This means that aroiders have to continuously tell people that there is such a thing as the IAS and that it DOES have a repository of very useful information in the Aroid-L archives. Can we get it so google can search the aroid-l archives? As an aside, other plant groupings have very successful discussion forums, for example, the Palm Society. The advantage of discussion forums is (1) The layout is MUCH better than email; (2) Topics are segregated into useful sections (e.g. Growing tips, General Discussion, etc); (3) You can upload permanent images into the threads; (4) It is searchable by google; (5) You can use smilies ;-)

From: Steve at ExoticRainforest.com (ExoticRainforest) on 2008.07.14 at 14:31:44(18142) I often search the Aroid l files via Google at this address: http://www.hort.net/lists/aroid-l/ I've been able to access all the files back through 1996. Part of the trick is when you enter your search term make it brief and tick off all years unless you know for certain the year the post was made. Steve Lucas +More #6 It's easier to follow the thread of a conversation in discussion boards, unlike in mailing lists, where the asynchronous, non-realtime nature of the thing makes it hard sometimes to follow the thread of a conversation. --- On Thu, 7/10/08, a san juan wrote: From: a san juan Subject: One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: aroid-l at gizmoworks.com Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008, 11:33 AM I think one problem with the IAS is that it does not have an "official" forum or discussion board. People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. The Aroid-L mailing list is supposed to address this, but one thing I noticed is that the contents of the archive are NOT available to google search engine. ALL the enormous content from past times is thus hidden from potential aroiders. I encountered this when searching for P. x evansii information. All the hits I got where from other websites, and I had to directly go to the aroid-l site and do a second search there. This means that aroiders have to continuously tell people that there is such a thing as the IAS and that it DOES have a repository of very useful information in the Aroid-L archives. Can we get it so google can search the aroid-l archives? As an aside, other plant groupings have very successful discussion forums, for example, the Palm Society. The advantage of discussion forums is (1) The layout is MUCH better than email; (2) Topics are segregated into useful sections (e.g. Growing tips, General Discussion, etc); (3) You can upload permanent images into the threads; (4) It is searchable by google; (5) You can use smilies ;-) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080714/884a3392/attachment-0001.htm

From: honeybunny442 at yahoo.com (Susan B) on 2008.07.14 at 15:38:09(18144) Quoted:? People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. I would think your own example shows that people prefer an email list. I do, this is why: I can read what I want on the list while checking my emails. If I go to a board, I have to find the website and open it, then look for new postings, then scroll through pages to get to the newest post, which is often off topic. Dave's Garden is a good example of this.? Reading postings on a discussion forum takes probably 3X as long as reading on an email list. I can also live without smilies. +More -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080714/f6e22745/attachment-0001.htm

From: kalim1998 at yahoo.com (a san juan) on 2008.07.15 at 00:26:52(18149) Hi Steve, I think people misunderstood my point here... I didn't say you couldn't search the past aroid list topics.. what i meant was that from the general google search engine, there does not seem to be a way for general people to find subjects in aroid-l..try it.... this is why i think many people don't even know there is a mailing list, or even an IAS. Plus, it's a shame that all the past knowledge of in this mailing list cannot be found in google. I like the mailing list, i'm just wondering if we could make them accessible to google so the genral public can stumble on aroid topics in aroid-l. +More --- On Mon, 7/14/08, ExoticRainforest wrote: From: ExoticRainforest Subject: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: "Discussion of aroids" Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 10:31 AM I often search the?Aroid l?files via Google at this address:? http://www.hort.net/lists/aroid-l/ I've been able to access all the files back through 1996.? Part of the trick is when you enter your search term make it brief and tick off all years unless you know for certain the year the post was made. ? Steve Lucas #6 It's easier to follow the thread of a conversation in discussion boards, unlike in mailing lists, where the asynchronous, non-realtime nature of the thing makes it hard sometimes to follow the thread of a conversation. --- On Thu, 7/10/08, a san juan wrote: From: a san juan Subject: One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: aroid-l at gizmoworks.com Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008, 11:33 AM I think one problem with the IAS is that it does not have an "official" forum or discussion board. People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. The Aroid-L mailing list is supposed to address this, but one thing I noticed is that the contents of the archive are NOT available to google search engine. ALL the enormous content from past times is thus hidden from potential aroiders. I encountered this when searching for P. x evansii information. All the hits I got where from other websites, and I had to directly go to the aroid-l site and do a second search there. This means that aroiders have to continuously tell people that there is such a thing as the IAS and that it DOES have a repository of very useful information in the Aroid-L archives. Can we get it so google can search the aroid-l archives? As an aside, other plant groupings have very successful discussion forums, for example, the Palm Society. The advantage of discussion forums is (1) The layout is MUCH better than email; (2) Topics are segregated into useful sections (e.g. Growing tips, General Discussion, etc); (3) You can upload permanent images into the threads; (4) It is searchable by google; (5) You can use smilies ;-) _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080714/2ec966c0/attachment-0001.htm

From: sparky4114 at mac.com (Thom Powell) on 2008.07.15 at 00:51:44(18150) I totally agree. On Jul 14, 2008, at 11:38 AM, Susan B wrote: > Quoted: People have tried to start real discussion forums once in > awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out > and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), > mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. > > > I would think your own example shows that people prefer an email list. > > I do, this is why: I can read what I want on the list while checking > my emails. If I go to a board, I have to find the website and open > it, then look for new postings, then scroll through pages to get to > the newest post, which is often off topic. > Dave's Garden is a good example of this. Reading postings on a > discussion forum takes probably 3X as long as reading on an email > list. +More > > I can also live without smilies. > > > _______________________________________________ > Aroid-L mailing list > Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com > http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080714/db4acb66/attachment-0001.htm

From: kalim1998 at yahoo.com (a san juan) on 2008.07.15 at 01:40:32(18152) First, I LIKE aroid l mailing list a heck of a lot and i enjoy perusing through the old archives, but in the interest of discussion and maybe food for thought I just wanted to start this topic. Maybe i'm just venting, so the list owners should not boot me off? ;-) There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Email lists were very popular when the internet first started and there was a lack of free bulletin board web applications, AND people generally did not know how to surf the web. I remember my first whiff of the internet was when i had to get an email account at rutgers university in the early 1990s? Nowadays, every host account usually gives you a free web forum. Advantages of email list: 1. It lands on your email box. 2. You don't need to bookmark the address of the website 3. Maybe it's faster, but honestly, if you bookmark a site you land there probably just as fast as opening your email box. Advantages of web forum: 1. Pictures, images and attachments are archived FOREVER. When I go to the aroid-l archives, none of the pics and images from before are there. It's frustrating to see messages that expound on a great pic of an aroid, but then i can't find any picture of it. 2.? Threads and conversations are MUCH easier to follow. I've been rooting through aroid-l archives and trying to follow a thread is very difficult. Even email threads of more than a few subjects at a time are difficult to follow by email. Sometimes you can't easily figure out who spoke first. 3. Web forums do not clutter my email inbox with a gazillion messages i don't want to read. Email lists are fine for groups with some tens or so actively talking people, but it gets unmanageable for really large groups. I'm part of many forums and some have thousands of users and tens of conversations all taking place at the same time. This would be impossible in an email list. 4. Young people generally prefer web forums, or blog sites, or things like myspace. For example, I was surprised to discover that very few of my nephew's classmates actually even have email or use email. They just text or use youth oriented forums like myspace. I think the IAS should try to attract more people, and especially very young people, the next generation like my nephew. To them, cool web forums are the norm. 5. The web forum framework generally has better structure than an email archive. Good forums are a joy to peruse... For example, the much larger Palm Society has a forum that might be the harbinger of some future IAS forum: http://palmtalk.org/forum/index.php +More They used to have a mailing list but i believe it's now discontinued.... Anyways, END OF VENT! ;-) --- On Mon, 7/14/08, Susan B wrote: From: Susan B Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: "Discussion of aroids" Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 11:38 AM Quoted:? People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. I would think your own example shows that people prefer an email list. I do, this is why: I can read what I want on the list while checking my emails. If I go to a board, I have to find the website and open it, then look for new postings, then scroll through pages to get to the newest post, which is often off topic. Dave's Garden is a good example of this.? Reading postings on a discussion forum takes probably 3X as long as reading on an email list. I can also live without smilies. _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080714/8d95b81f/attachment-0001.htm

From: kalim1998 at yahoo.com (a san juan) on 2008.07.15 at 01:49:27(18153) 6. A good forum is a great advertising tool for the organization and a great way for members to relax, sit back, and jabber about their favotite topic in a virtual community environment. In the end, I guess it might a chicken and egg thing...we can't support a forum because of too few participating people in the aroid community, and we can't grow a cohesive and large aroid community because of lack of visible attractors where the community can relax and congregate like the Palm Society forums. +More --- On Mon, 7/14/08, a san juan wrote: From: a san juan Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: "Discussion of aroids" Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 9:40 PM First, I LIKE aroid l mailing list a heck of a lot and i enjoy perusing through the old archives, but in the interest of discussion and maybe food for thought I just wanted to start this topic. Maybe i'm just venting, so the list owners should not boot me off? ;-) There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Email lists were very popular when the internet first started and there was a lack of free bulletin board web applications, AND people generally did not know how to surf the web. I remember my first whiff of the internet was when i had to get an email account at rutgers university in the early 1990s? Nowadays, every host account usually gives you a free web forum. Advantages of email list: 1. It lands on your email box. 2. You don't need to bookmark the address of the website 3. Maybe it's faster, but honestly, if you bookmark a site you land there probably just as fast as opening your email box. Advantages of web forum: 1. Pictures, images and attachments are archived FOREVER. When I go to the aroid-l archives, none of the pics and images from before are there. It's frustrating to see messages that expound on a great pic of an aroid, but then i can't find any picture of it. 2.? Threads and conversations are MUCH easier to follow. I've been rooting through aroid-l archives and trying to follow a thread is very difficult. Even email threads of more than a few subjects at a time are difficult to follow by email. Sometimes you can't easily figure out who spoke first. 3. Web forums do not clutter my email inbox with a gazillion messages i don't want to read. Email lists are fine for groups with some tens or so actively talking people, but it gets unmanageable for really large groups. I'm part of many forums and some have thousands of users and tens of conversations all taking place at the same time. This would be impossible in an email list. 4. Young people generally prefer web forums, or blog sites, or things like myspace. For example, I was surprised to discover that very few of my nephew's classmates actually even have email or use email. They just text or use youth oriented forums like myspace. I think the IAS should try to attract more people, and especially very young people, the next generation like my nephew. To them, cool web forums are the norm. 5. The web forum framework generally has better structure than an email archive. Good forums are a joy to peruse... For example, the much larger Palm Society has a forum that might be the harbinger of some future IAS forum: http://palmtalk.org/forum/index.php They used to have a mailing list but i believe it's now discontinued.... Anyways, END OF VENT! ;-) --- On Mon, 7/14/08, Susan B wrote: From: Susan B Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: "Discussion of aroids" Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 11:38 AM Quoted:? People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. I would think your own example shows that people prefer an email list. I do, this is why: I can read what I want on the list while checking my emails. If I go to a board, I have to find the website and open it, then look for new postings, then scroll through pages to get to the newest post, which is often off topic. Dave's Garden is a good example of this.? Reading postings on a discussion forum takes probably 3X as long as reading on an email list. I can also live without smilies. _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080714/d7c412ba/attachment-0001.htm

From: mossytrail at hctc.com (mossytrail) on 2008.07.15 at 02:47:02(18156) > I would think your own example shows that people prefer an > email list. > +More > I do, this is why: I can read what I want on the list > while checking my emails. If I go to a board, I have to > find the website and open it, then look for new postings, > then scroll through pages to get to the newest post, which > is often off topic. Dave's Garden is a good example of > this.? Reading postings on a discussion forum takes > probably 3X as long as reading on an email list. I'm not sure which I prefer. Maybe it was a mistake to set my Aroid-L preference to digest, because it means I get messages grouped by when they were recieved, rather than topically. But the other side is, my server is sometimes slow enough, it would take me 3X as long to read each message as a separate email. Whereas I keep my message board websites bookmarked, and every topic is threaded. There isn't much to be done about off-topic posts, I admit. Note that Aroid-L does have one of the same problems that plague message boards: people quoting an entire thread even though they may only be replying to one small part of it. Also note that I have always carefully avoided that. > I can also live without smilies. > Awww, what's wrong with smilies? :) Jason Hernandez Naturalist-at-Large

From: kalim1998 at yahoo.com (a san juan) on 2008.07.15 at 03:27:55(18158) Here is an example of what a web forum can bring: This is a thread about a guy's trip to the Singapore botanic gardens...great interactions by the community, easy to follow since it's a linear structure, and lots of nice eye candy that will always remain part of the forum.... http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showtopic479 +More They have an entire section dedicated to travel logs, something which i tried to emulate in an earlier aroid forum.... http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showforum I think web forums can bring a sense of community and belonging to an organization, great advertising for potential aroid nuts.... Ok, definitely end of my rant... :-) --- On Mon, 7/14/08, a san juan wrote: From: a san juan Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: "Discussion of aroids" Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 9:49 PM 6. A good forum is a great advertising tool for the organization and a great way for members to relax, sit back, and jabber about their favotite topic in a virtual community environment. In the end, I guess it might a chicken and egg thing...we can't support a forum because of too few participating people in the aroid community, and we can't grow a cohesive and large aroid community because of lack of visible attractors where the community can relax and congregate like the Palm Society forums. --- On Mon, 7/14/08, a san juan wrote: From: a san juan Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: "Discussion of aroids" Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 9:40 PM First, I LIKE aroid l mailing list a heck of a lot and i enjoy perusing through the old archives, but in the interest of discussion and maybe food for thought I just wanted to start this topic. Maybe i'm just venting, so the list owners should not boot me off? ;-) There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Email lists were very popular when the internet first started and there was a lack of free bulletin board web applications, AND people generally did not know how to surf the web. I remember my first whiff of the internet was when i had to get an email account at rutgers university in the early 1990s? Nowadays, every host account usually gives you a free web forum. Advantages of email list: 1. It lands on your email box. 2. You don't need to bookmark the address of the website 3. Maybe it's faster, but honestly, if you bookmark a site you land there probably just as fast as opening your email box. Advantages of web forum: 1. Pictures, images and attachments are archived FOREVER. When I go to the aroid-l archives, none of the pics and images from before are there. It's frustrating to see messages that expound on a great pic of an aroid, but then i can't find any picture of it. 2.? Threads and conversations are MUCH easier to follow. I've been rooting through aroid-l archives and trying to follow a thread is very difficult. Even email threads of more than a few subjects at a time are difficult to follow by email. Sometimes you can't easily figure out who spoke first. 3. Web forums do not clutter my email inbox with a gazillion messages i don't want to read. Email lists are fine for groups with some tens or so actively talking people, but it gets unmanageable for really large groups. I'm part of many forums and some have thousands of users and tens of conversations all taking place at the same time. This would be impossible in an email list. 4. Young people generally prefer web forums, or blog sites, or things like myspace. For example, I was surprised to discover that very few of my nephew's classmates actually even have email or use email. They just text or use youth oriented forums like myspace. I think the IAS should try to attract more people, and especially very young people, the next generation like my nephew. To them, cool web forums are the norm. 5. The web forum framework generally has better structure than an email archive. Good forums are a joy to peruse... For example, the much larger Palm Society has a forum that might be the harbinger of some future IAS forum: http://palmtalk.org/forum/index.php They used to have a mailing list but i believe it's now discontinued.... Anyways, END OF VENT! ;-) --- On Mon, 7/14/08, Susan B wrote: From: Susan B Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: "Discussion of aroids" Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 11:38 AM Quoted:? People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. I would think your own example shows that people prefer an email list. I do, this is why: I can read what I want on the list while checking my emails. If I go to a board, I have to find the website and open it, then look for new postings, then scroll through pages to get to the newest post, which is often off topic. Dave's Garden is a good example of this.? Reading postings on a discussion forum takes probably 3X as long as reading on an email list. I can also live without smilies. _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080714/43e46da7/attachment-0001.htm

From: TheTropix at msn.com (Sherry Gates) on 2008.07.15 at 05:52:32(18159) Hi everyone, Thanks for the link, Bernhard! I didn't know about that. I find the e-mail list is much easier than a forum, too! Sherry ----- Original Message ----- +More From: StroWi at t-online.de To: Discussion of aroids Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 2:01 AM Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums Dear a san juan, speaking for me, I am fine with the mailing list. And I think it is much easier to look after a mailing list for the moderator, than running a forum; however, Steve might know better..... And as for searching, I am pretty happy with this: http://www.hort.net/lists/aroid-l/ Happy searching, too, Bernhard. -----Original Message----- Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:05:08 +0200 Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums From: a san juan > To: aroid-l at gizmoworks.com #6 It's easier to follow the thread of a conversation in discussion boards, unlike in mailing lists, where the asynchronous, non-realtime nature of the thing makes it hard sometimes to follow the thread of a conversation. --- On Thu, 7/10/08, a san juan > wrote: From: a san juan > Subject: One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: aroid-l at gizmoworks.com Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008, 11:33 AM I think one problem with the IAS is that it does not have an "official" forum or discussion board. People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. The Aroid-L mailing list is supposed to address this, but one thing I noticed is that the contents of the archive are NOT available to google search engine. ALL the enormous content from past times is thus hidden from potential aroiders. I encountered this when searching for P. x evansii information. All the hits I got where from other websites, and I had to directly go to the aroid-l site and do a second search there. This means that aroiders have to continuously tell people that there is such a thing as the IAS and that it DOES have a repository of very useful information in the Aroid-L archives. Can we get it so google can search the aroid-l archives? As an aside, other plant groupings have very successful discussion forums, for example, the Palm Society. The advantage of discussion forums is (1) The layout is MUCH better than email; (2) Topics are segregated into useful sections (e.g. Growing tips, General Discussion, etc); (3) You can upload permanent images into the threads; (4) It is searchable by google; (5) You can use smilies ;-) _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080715/dc9d9619/attachment-0001.htm

From: Steve at ExoticRainforest.com (ExoticRainforest) on 2008.07.16 at 13:12:14(18171) I see your point. Perhaps Steve Marak and those that maintain the achieve of Aroid l could consider new ways to improve that database. I use it all the time since I can often find accurate information from past members who are no longer with us or don't often post today. Plus I can find all the posts from our resident botanists. Some of those members who have passed on were among the most knowledgeable the society has ever had but their explanations live on through the achieve. One suggestion to increase membership I have offered, and hope others will pick up and implement, is for those of us who operate any sort of aroid website to promote the IAS via your site. I sought permission from Dan Levin when he was president along with that of Tricia Frank to add over 100 links to the IAS on my own site using the IAS name and logo. The search engines pick up on that and more than one entry point to the International Aroid Society website and membership page is presented to anyone who searches for "aroid society" or any similar term. Since I use a tracking service I can "see" how many people click on the link, I just have no idea what action they take once they shift over to the IAS site. I am always hopeful they elect to join! I see at least 10 or more individuals daily take a look at the IAS site directly from my site. I would encourage anyone who maintains a plant website to promote both Aroid l and the IAS. Our society needs a constant supply of new members and I see it as the obligation of the membership to promote our group. If we are not all suggesting others join, the membership will remain either constant or begin to decline. I am always interested to hear from any member who can offer better suggestions as to how we can make the IAS grow. So your suggestions are certainly valuable. I too enjoy the "chit chat" where people can post information that is instantly available. I personally elected to leave the UBC forum. There are some really good people on UBC but there are also those that love to try to stir up trouble. That was probably not a good move on my part but I've received more than a few personal emails from others who have tried to provide good information and became tired of being told their information was not accurate even when it came directly from a scientific source. Perhaps a second "instant post" Aroid forum that works in conjunction with Aroid l could be considered. At least that way, most of the participants would already be seeking aroid information and be less concerned with "posies and daisies". Steve Lucas +More ----- Original Message ----- From: a san juan To: Discussion of aroids Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 7:26 PM Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums Hi Steve, I think people misunderstood my point here... I didn't say you couldn't search the past aroid list topics.. what i meant was that from the general google search engine, there does not seem to be a way for general people to find subjects in aroid-l..try it.... this is why i think many people don't even know there is a mailing list, or even an IAS. Plus, it's a shame that all the past knowledge of in this mailing list cannot be found in google. I like the mailing list, i'm just wondering if we could make them accessible to google so the genral public can stumble on aroid topics in aroid-l. --- On Mon, 7/14/08, ExoticRainforest wrote: From: ExoticRainforest Subject: [Aroid-l] One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: "Discussion of aroids" Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 10:31 AM I often search the Aroid l files via Google at this address: http://www.hort.net/lists/aroid-l/ I've been able to access all the files back through 1996. Part of the trick is when you enter your search term make it brief and tick off all years unless you know for certain the year the post was made. Steve Lucas #6 It's easier to follow the thread of a conversation in discussion boards, unlike in mailing lists, where the asynchronous, non-realtime nature of the thing makes it hard sometimes to follow the thread of a conversation. --- On Thu, 7/10/08, a san juan wrote: From: a san juan Subject: One problem with IAS - Discussion Forums To: aroid-l at gizmoworks.com Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008, 11:33 AM I think one problem with the IAS is that it does not have an "official" forum or discussion board. People have tried to start real discussion forums once in awhile (my own board, the current UBC board) but they all peter out and die sooner or later (or languish in a state of slow death), mostly because the regulars on Aroid-L tend to avoid them. The Aroid-L mailing list is supposed to address this, but one thing I noticed is that the contents of the archive are NOT available to google search engine. ALL the enormous content from past times is thus hidden from potential aroiders. I encountered this when searching for P. x evansii information. All the hits I got where from other websites, and I had to directly go to the aroid-l site and do a second search there. This means that aroiders have to continuously tell people that there is such a thing as the IAS and that it DOES have a repository of very useful information in the Aroid-L archives. Can we get it so google can search the aroid-l archives? As an aside, other plant groupings have very successful discussion forums, for example, the Palm Society. The advantage of discussion forums is (1) The layout is MUCH better than email; (2) Topics are segregated into useful sections (e.g. Growing tips, General Discussion, etc); (3) You can upload permanent images into the threads; (4) It is searchable by google; (5) You can use smilies ;-) -------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________Aroid-L mailing listAroid-L at www.gizmoworks.comhttp://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L at www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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From: bonaventure at optonline.net (bonaventure at optonline.net) on 2008.07.24 at 18:50:40(18236) Here is another example, well constructed, one of my favorites: http://www.slipperorchidforum.com/forum/index.php Bonaventure Magrys +More -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080724/53eecbd7/attachment.htm

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