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rsnider1-Visitor
1-Visitor
November 16, 2004
Question

Exploder Rules, Round Deux

  • November 16, 2004
  • 24 replies
  • 4203 views
Gee, I go out of town for a couple days, and see what happens?? 🙂

Thanks for everyone who responded on the rules topic. I am reading
through the responses but I think the gist of the discussion is:

1. People agree that everyone ought to follow the rules. My main
concern in making the posting was to remind people to not post the
off-topic messages--these really get annoying, even if they are
well-intentioned.

2. We have differing thoughts on the posting guidelines. Personally,
I don't mind if everything gets posted to the exploder because everyone
gets a copy of the discussion that way. As I stated, item four in my
original posting is more of a suggestion rather than a hard rule.

However, I also understand that people get frustrated when they get a
full inbox of exploder messages. I have a filter setup on my account
to route all of the discussions into a folder so I don't lose them. I
highly recommend using filters with your Outlook (or other client)
software--this is a really useful technique for screening exploder
messages, important messages from your co-workers/supervisors, junk
mail, etc.

Thanks also for the various suggestions on improving the existing rules
to make message identification/sorting easier for everyone, especially
me 🙂

3. If a change to rules is needed, it ought to be voted on by the
entire exploder community. I am open to this idea and with the portal,
we now have the means to conduct such a vote fairly.

4. Perhaps we could look at a different technology to manage the
discussions. I would prefer to use a web-based interface that would
allow people to see the original question and the follow-up responses.
The major difficulty I've had in implementing this has been cultural,
not technological. There are still quite a few people that do not have
web access at work. Consequently, we would exclude those people from
participation with such a system.

Perhaps it's time to take a survey on this issue to find out if this is
really still a problem for a significant number of members. BTW, if
anyone knows of a bulletin board/discussion software that supports BOTH
reading AND posting of messages, please let me know.

I'm getting on another plane now, so I'll check my e-mail again once I
land. Thanks again for your feedback!

Regards,
Rick



==

Rick Snider
Executive Director, PTC/USER

    24 replies

    P
    ptc-4373111-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    November 16, 2004
    Rick,

    Not to belabor the point, but don't you already have one in place with
    newsgroups on MS Outlook Express? From what I've been reading this meets
    the needs of everyone on the exploder without limiting those that don't have
    Internet access. Essentially, the exploder is already a bulletin board,
    and it's a hassle to have to login to it everytime I want to see whats going
    on. It's much easier, from my standpoint, to just start OE and synchronize
    the newsgroup to get the latest postings.


    --
    Steve M. Wilson
    Sr. ME
    Bivio Networks
    Pleasanton, CA

    "Rick Snider" <-> wrote in message news:76513@model...
    >
    > Gee, I go out of town for a couple days, and see what happens?? 🙂
    >
    > Thanks for everyone who responded on the rules topic. I am reading
    > through the responses but I think the gist of the discussion is:
    >
    > 1. People agree that everyone ought to follow the rules. My main concern
    > in making the posting was to remind people to not post the off-topic
    > messages--these really get annoying, even if they are well-intentioned.
    >
    > 2. We have differing thoughts on the posting guidelines. Personally, I
    > don't mind if everything gets posted to the exploder because everyone gets
    > a copy of the discussion that way. As I stated, item four in my original
    > posting is more of a suggestion rather than a hard rule.
    >
    > However, I also understand that people get frustrated when they get a full
    > inbox of exploder messages. I have a filter setup on my account to route
    > all of the discussions into a folder so I don't lose them. I highly
    > recommend using filters with your Outlook (or other client) software--this
    > is a really useful technique for screening exploder messages, important
    > messages from your co-workers/supervisors, junk mail, etc.
    >
    > Thanks also for the various suggestions on improving the existing rules to
    > make message identification/sorting easier for everyone, especially me 🙂
    >
    > 3. If a change to rules is needed, it ought to be voted on by the entire
    > exploder community. I am open to this idea and with the portal, we now
    > have the means to conduct such a vote fairly.
    >
    > 4. Perhaps we could look at a different technology to manage the
    > discussions. I would prefer to use a web-based interface that would allow
    > people to see the original question and the follow-up responses. The
    > major difficulty I've had in implementing this has been cultural, not
    > technological. There are still quite a few people that do not have web
    > access at work. Consequently, we would exclude those people from
    > participation with such a system.
    >
    > Perhaps it's time to take a survey on this issue to find out if this is
    > really still a problem for a significant number of members. BTW, if
    > anyone knows of a bulletin board/discussion software that supports BOTH
    > reading AND posting of messages, please let me know.
    >
    > I'm getting on another plane now, so I'll check my e-mail again once I
    > land. Thanks again for your feedback!
    >
    > Regards,
    > Rick
    >
    >
    >
    > ==
    >
    > Rick Snider
    > Executive Director, PTC/USER
    D
    dakeb1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    November 16, 2004
    I can't access prouser on newsgroups, our newserver restricts access to only
    a few selected venues.
    T
    Ted1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    November 16, 2004
    Hi all,

    The only thing I object to in the exploder group are the solicitations
    for business and especially the job postings. It was hard enough to get
    the Boss to give me web access as it is. If he sees job postings as
    part of this exploder group, well he wouldn't be impressed. There are a
    lot of other avenues on the web to find Pro/E jobs if needed. Keep the
    exploder to relevant technical issues.

    Regards

    Ted
    S
    sdkellysdaa1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    November 16, 2004
    While I do not object to job postings, I fully agree that it can cause
    problems with some employers and therefore should probably not be done on
    the exploder. Also; though I personally don't really object to very
    limited, directly relevant commercial postings or product announcements;
    it's always going to be a grey area to everyone how much, if any, is
    appropriate. Permitting any commercial posts at all is a slippery slope at
    best and will almost surely lead to bad feelings, unfairness (real or
    perceived) and a lot more annoyed members than satisfied ones. Sadly, the
    only serviceable solution I can see is to completely ban both.

    One of the other technical exploders like this one that I am on does permit
    the above mentioned items as well as having all replies go to the whole
    list by default. We all behave ourselves very well, even the vendors, (who
    make completely relevant commercial posts no more than once per month). We
    all get along there swimmingly so it is clear that it can work, but it's
    suitable for discussion (not argument or flame) what would work best here.

    S

    <snip>
    >...the solicitations for business and especially
    >the job postings. It was hard enough to get the
    >Boss to give me web access as it is. If he sees
    >job postings as part of this exploder group, well
    >he wouldn't be impressed.
    <snip>
    D
    dgschaefer21-Topaz II
    21-Topaz II
    November 17, 2004
    Rick,

    Please, please, please don't take it to the web as a BB.  There are already a couple of those (MCAD Central being one) and I never visit them.  If the exploder went that route, I would likely never visit it either.  Think about it, unless I need something (question to ask), why would I spend time to go there?  Am I likely to go just to see if there are questions that I can answer?  No, not likely.  So the result would be, I think, lots of questions and fewer answers.  On the other hand, if your question arrives at my desk (through email) then I'm more likely to take a minute to respond.  Besides, I imagine our bosses would frown a little more on us browsing the web than checking our email.

    As far as response preference, I say change the settings to default to the group.  Requesting folks not to respond to the group and to post a summary isn't working because it's too easy to ignore (and makes sense to ignore to some).  Yeah, we'll get more email, but we'll get the answers and it won't depend on someone else deciding whether it's valuable enough to send to everyone or not.  Nor will we have to wait for a summary that may not come.  I think that's probably something you can set in Lyris.

    Doug Schaefer
    U
    unknown11-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    November 17, 2004
    Doug,

    I FULLY agree with your BB issue. I have Outlook set to inform me if there
    is a message from the list. I usually take the 5-10 seconds and select to
    read it...unless I am in the middle of something that I don't want to
    interrupt.

    Steve G


    P
    PeterBrown1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    November 17, 2004
    Regarding the job postings on the exploder, don't get rid of them.

    I've hired 4 great people in my department over the past 18 months and every
    one of them came from ads posted on the Exploder. I also have put the job
    postings on ProE Central and a couple of other free places. For some
    reason, the best applicants came from the Network newsgroup - don't ask me
    why. The only annoyance has been from headhunters trying to sell me their
    services when I explicitly state that I don't want to hear from them.


    --
    Regards,
    Peter Brown
    NC Programming Manager
    Jarvis Products Corp

    http://www.jarvisproducts.com



    "Rick Snider" <-> wrote in message news:76513@model...
    >
    > Gee, I go out of town for a couple days, and see what happens?? 🙂
    >
    > Thanks for everyone who responded on the rules topic. I am reading
    > through the responses but I think the gist of the discussion is:
    >
    > 1. People agree that everyone ought to follow the rules. My main concern
    > in making the posting was to remind people to not post the off-topic
    > messages--these really get annoying, even if they are well-intentioned.
    >
    > 2. We have differing thoughts on the posting guidelines. Personally, I
    > don't mind if everything gets posted to the exploder because everyone gets
    > a copy of the discussion that way. As I stated, item four in my original
    > posting is more of a suggestion rather than a hard rule.
    >
    > However, I also understand that people get frustrated when they get a full
    > inbox of exploder messages. I have a filter setup on my account to route
    > all of the discussions into a folder so I don't lose them. I highly
    > recommend using filters with your Outlook (or other client) software--this
    > is a really useful technique for screening exploder messages, important
    > messages from your co-workers/supervisors, junk mail, etc.
    >
    > Thanks also for the various suggestions on improving the existing rules to
    > make message identification/sorting easier for everyone, especially me 🙂
    >
    > 3. If a change to rules is needed, it ought to be voted on by the entire
    > exploder community. I am open to this idea and with the portal, we now
    > have the means to conduct such a vote fairly.
    >
    > 4. Perhaps we could look at a different technology to manage the
    > discussions. I would prefer to use a web-based interface that would allow
    > people to see the original question and the follow-up responses. The
    > major difficulty I've had in implementing this has been cultural, not
    > technological. There are still quite a few people that do not have web
    > access at work. Consequently, we would exclude those people from
    > participation with such a system.
    >
    > Perhaps it's time to take a survey on this issue to find out if this is
    > really still a problem for a significant number of members. BTW, if
    > anyone knows of a bulletin board/discussion software that supports BOTH
    > reading AND posting of messages, please let me know.
    >
    > I'm getting on another plane now, so I'll check my e-mail again once I
    > land. Thanks again for your feedback!
    >
    > Regards,
    > Rick
    >
    >
    >
    > ==
    >
    > Rick Snider
    > Executive Director, PTC/USER
    U
    unknown11-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    November 17, 2004
    Why not a separate list for job postings. That way I can choose to not be a part of it.

    Mike Cavins
    Design Engineer
    Applicators Development
    The Scotts Company
    B
    big_jim1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    November 17, 2004
    Peter;
    I almost considered applying to be number 5, but I like my location
    better. 🙂 While I can see the potential concern of employers having job
    postings on a venue they pay for the recent rash of postings has been
    encouraging. The market must be improving ...$$ 🙂 It should be pointed out
    that the exploder does offer a location for those postings, I believe it is
    on the network listing, and they should be kept there.
    I would vote to se the exploder stay the same as is only with
    encouraged postings to all rather than just the one requesting help. I have
    been given many ideas from the answers to someone else's questions, this
    site is an invaluable help. I almost think Rui, Doug and a few others should
    receive a fee for all their help 🙂 they're my heroes!
    N
    nicfre11-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    November 17, 2004
    Isn't there a separate posting? The network exploder? Maybe someone can
    clarify, but I thought the network exploder was setup for job postings and
    related emails. But the problem is, a few individuals are posting jobs on
    say for instance the model exploder. But since I have been a member, I have
    not seen many on the model exploder. Again, you are never going to keep
    everyone on the same page as far as what they should be posting and where
    they should be posting it. I would think we could just delete the one or two
    job postings that aren't in the network exploder we occasionally recieve.

    Nick
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