Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: The moon is made of green cheese, and Oh yeas Elvis is alive. I like the Men In Black version; He's alive but he just went home. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
What is the difference between a mailing list and a web forum? Thanks, Michael Michael S. Altus, PhD, ELS Intensive Care Communications, Inc.(R) Biomedical Writing and Editing al...@intensivecarecomm.com www.intensivecarecomm.com * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
What is the difference between a mailing list and a web forum? A mail list sends you the posts that people have mailed. So you get it as soon (sort of) as people send the email. A web forum requires you to go out and get the messages that people send. Like a newsgroup. For something that isn't an unrestricted public forum a mail list works better, it is inherently access controlled although a web forum can have this as well. Mail lists are by subscription, you have to consent to getting the posts either straight up or in digest form. Web forums are not usually going to update the user, you have to go out and get the information. Both are useful, but for specific interest groups the mail list works better because you aren't forced into administering large volumes of messages. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
Wow. What a wacky take on things. I think the distortions we're seeing are due to the fact that you're asking the question on a mailing list, which still has some members that have never done it any other way. But 'web' forums are much older than mailing lists (they used to be called 'bulletin boards') and can do anything a mailing list can and then some. Web forums can be set up to send you emails when people post. And they can even be set up to take your email responses. This isn't a particularly popular way of doing things, but it's not unheard of. It's hard to draw a direct comparison because a lot depends on how things are set up. This list for example, allows no attachments at all. In fact, it doesn't even allow you to underline or bold your text. And it doesn't store any messages. I'd like to say the biggest difference is that mail lists require you to receive new messages in your email as soon as someone sends them. This is true on this list, but Yahoo 'mail' lists allow you to browse online and never actually ever receive an email from them at all! I think the real reason web forums have taken off lately is because they're just better at handling large amounts of messages in a universal threaded manner. Today's email clients have gotten better at threading, but once a discussion goes beyond 10-20 posts, few people want to store all that at home. Of course, even this is changing with clients like Gmail as there's almost no reason to ever delete a message. Still, pick any busy forum and try to imagine dealing with that amount of email. e.g. the Corvette Forum (http://forums.corvetteforum.com/) with 75,000 posts last week. No Way! My own small community forum had 1257 posts last week; no one person wants to read a tenth of that, so why would anyone want to receive all those emails? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
On Sun, August 9, 2009 10:12 am, Tony B wrote: Wow. What a wacky take on things. I think the distortions we're seeing are due to the fact that you're asking the question on a mailing list, which still has some members that have never done it any other way. But 'web' forums are much older than mailing lists (they used to be called 'bulletin boards') and can do anything a mailing list can and then some. Web forums can be set up to send you emails when people post. And they can even be set up to take your email responses. This isn't a particularly popular way of doing things, but it's not unheard of. It's hard to draw a direct comparison because a lot depends on how things are set up. This list for example, allows no attachments at all. In fact, it doesn't even allow you to underline or bold your text. And it doesn't store any messages. Archives of messages to this are available. Go to http://www.cguys.com for more information. (This info at bottom of messages.) I'd like to say the biggest difference is that mail lists require you to receive new messages in your email as soon as someone sends them. Not if you set your list subscriptions to receive messages via digest. Then you get messages in batches one or more times a day, depending on list setup. This is true on this list, but Yahoo 'mail' lists allow you to browse online and never actually ever receive an email from them at all! LISTSERV has the option to allow subscribers to browse messages online instead of receiving them via their e-mail accounts. It depends on how the software has been structured by the LISTSERV administrator. Depending on setup, you can also post to LISTSERV lists online. (I like the LISTSERV Web interface, but it does have several of what I'd call glitches, depending on setup.) I think the real reason web forums have taken off lately is because they're just better at handling large amounts of messages in a universal threaded manner. Today's email clients have gotten better at threading, but once a discussion goes beyond 10-20 posts, few people want to store all that at home. Of course, even this is changing with clients like Gmail as there's almost no reason to ever delete a message. Still, pick any busy forum and try to imagine dealing with that amount of email. e.g. the Corvette Forum (http://forums.corvetteforum.com/) with 75,000 posts last week. No Way! My own small community forum had 1257 posts last week; no one person wants to read a tenth of that, so why would anyone want to receive all those emails? Perhaps so that it goes through your own mail filtering system? You can set up auto deletes for mail not filtered into designated folders, if you choose. Barb * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
AOL does not offer archiving. Nor, AFAIK, online viewing of any type. As I recall someone is doing this themselves with third party software. That's nice, but forum software does it automatically. Yes, I imagine a really dedicated person could just get a digest of e.g. 200 messages a day and still manage to follow a few threads. I sure can't see myself doing it. And our Neighborhood Watch and Lost Pets forums offer instant notification via email/text. What good would those alerts be in the middle of a digest 12 hours later? No, I don't think it's possible to automatically filter in wanted mail (or out unwanted mail). In the first place, it would require the OP to accurately name a new thread, and participants to accurately rename the thread when it wanders. e.g. I never visit our community's Sports forum. But how would I filter out those threads using keywords? On Sun, Aug 9, 2009 at 11:51 AM, Barbara Connbc...@cpcug.org wrote: Archives of messages to this are available. Go to http://www.cguys.com for more information. (This info at bottom of messages.) Not if you set your list subscriptions to receive messages via digest. Then you get messages in batches one or more times a day, depending on list setup. Perhaps so that it goes through your own mail filtering system? You can set up auto deletes for mail not filtered into designated folders, if you choose. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
To complicate the comparison further. This is a mailing list with an archive. The archive looks very much like a forum. Messages are threaded, searchable, and you can post replies. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
On Aug 9, 2009, at 12:34 PM, Tony B wrote: AOL does not offer archiving. Nor, AFAIK, online viewing of any type. As I recall someone is doing this themselves with third party software. That's nice, but forum software does it automatically. CGuys is archived automatically. We have two archives on the mailing list. They get the same email we all get and they automatically archive them. Other than signing up I have nothing to do to make it work. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
On Sun, Aug 9, 2009 at 12:41 PM, TPiwowar t...@tjpa.com wrote: To complicate the comparison further. This is a mailing list with an archive. The archive looks very much like a forum. Messages are threaded, searchable, and you can post replies. On top of that I archive the list for myself to a gMail account which is easily searchable. I set up the email to flag all CGUYS mail to a folder. -- John Duncan Yoyo ---o) * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
On Sun, August 9, 2009 12:34 pm, Tony B wrote: AOL does not offer archiving. Nor, AFAIK, online viewing of any type. As I recall someone is doing this themselves with third party software. That's nice, but forum software does it automatically. Yes, I imagine a really dedicated person could just get a digest of e.g. 200 messages a day and still manage to follow a few threads. I sure can't see myself doing it. And our Neighborhood Watch and Lost Pets forums offer instant notification via email/text. What good would those alerts be in the middle of a digest 12 hours later? No, I don't think it's possible to automatically filter in wanted mail (or out unwanted mail). In the first place, it would require the OP to accurately name a new thread, and participants to accurately rename the thread when it wanders. e.g. I never visit our community's Sports forum. But how would I filter out those threads using keywords? Here's a possibility to tweak as desired, so it works for youo: Don't use digest mode. Filter messages to folders via your selected message keywords, set to search entire messages, not just subject keywords. Set up auto-delete for messages from active lists not filtered into desired folders via keywords. (If need be, you can always go searching for a missed message in the Web archive of the list.) On Sun, Aug 9, 2009 at 11:51 AM, Barbara Connbc...@cpcug.org wrote: Archives of messages to this are available. Go to http://www.cguys.com for more information. (This info at bottom of messages.) Not if you set your list subscriptions to receive messages via digest. Then you get messages in batches one or more times a day, depending on list setup. Perhaps so that it goes through your own mail filtering system? You can set up auto deletes for mail not filtered into designated folders, if you choose. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
Wow. What a wacky take on things. I think the distortions we're seeing are due to the fact that you're asking the question on a mailing list, which still has some members that have never done it any other way. But 'web' forums are much older than mailing lists (they used to be called 'bulletin boards') and can do anything a mailing list can and then some. Web forums can be set up to send you emails when people post. And they can even be set up to take your email responses. This isn't a particularly popular way of doing things, but it's not unheard of. Bulletin boards were more like email than the browser-based forums. BBS predated the WWW by quite a few years, and worked fairly well. The fact that Usenet [outgrowth of BBS] still exists and is widely used is a result of its being so easy, fast and unencumbered by bothering with browsers. Usenet is most easily accessed through an email client. BBS wasn't like the web forums. Putting a mailing list in a browser and making it a forum is unnecessarily redundant, especially where members mostly know each other, and email is sent to members anyway. Often, messages/posts are worth saving. Saving emails is easy. Saving forum posts is not. The choice of format all depends on the easy of use and preferences for list members. Use an inappropriate format and interest will wane. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
I've got a friend who was a mod on a mac forum and not long ago one of the higher up mods deleted forum posts they didn't favor. Can't do that on an email list. On Sun, Aug 9, 2009 at 1:49 PM, b_s-wilk b1sun...@yahoo.es wrote: Often, messages/posts are worth saving. Saving emails is easy. Saving forum posts is not. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
BBS wasn't like the web forums. Putting a mailing list in a browser and making it a forum is unnecessarily redundant, especially where members mostly know each other, and email is sent to members anyway. But a BBS or a mail list is by nature a closed forum, which has its good points in that you don't get trolls, for the most part. On the other hand, you don't get fresh members, either. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
They edit out unflattering information. Go on, man I can't believe that. If it is on the Interweb it must be true. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Difference between a mailing list and a web forum
You mean like the one my wife sent me. Colon cleanse and Acai berry juice helped this lady loose 50lbs.? The moon is made of green cheese, and Oh yeas Elvis is alive. Stewart At 05:58 PM 8/9/2009, you wrote: They edit out unflattering information. Go on, man I can't believe that. If it is on the Interweb it must be true. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * Rev. Stewart A. Marshall mailto:popoz...@earthlink.net Prince of Peace www.princeofpeaceozark.org Ozark, AL SL 82 * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
