I need an e-mail fix change.

OK, it is not feasable for me to do every little thing that people ask. I am a volunteer.

Buthchering these boards into a listserver is a big undertaking and one frought with problems and with almost no gain. These boards do more than ordinary boards to make it as easy as possible to follow topics. We tell you each time a new topic is started and email you the full content of the first post, then we email you when someone makes a reply since your last visit with a link to the exact point in the thread where you left off! Then on top of that we provide RSS feeds too.

I am telling you that right now it is not feasable to make this cow lay eggs. Perhaps, in the future it will be, but not till an aweful lot of much more important stuff has been done.

I also object to the tone of the first post here, it comes across as a demand and that's not acceptable. Not every idea that people have is a goer and if it has to be then IFAS need to employ a team of software developers becuase no volunteer driven system can work on the basis where each idea must be implemented.

My final word on this is that right now it is not feasable to turn our boards into a listserver/bulletin board hybrid. It will not be possible to look at this agian till the following things have happened:

1) We have finalised the design of the new site
2) We have a working structure for the new site
3) We have a workable usernamagement system for the new site
4) We have migrated our BB system to the new site
5) We have a system in place for managing Arcturus and the Observing Chllegenes on the new site
6) We have provided CMS/Wiki style content contribution to the new site
7) We have added calendar functionality to the new site
We have added a proper image gallery for Astrophotography to the new site

When that is done and dusted THEN we can re-visit this and try to graft listserver type behaviour onto our Bulletin Board system in such a way that it does not cripple what we have now which is a very effective bulleting board system with a lot of activity and a lot of users.

Bart B.,
IFAS Webmaster.

Bart, you are doing an incredible job.
One of the problems with communicating in text only is that frequently the "emotion" is not effectively transferred with the text. It can therefore be very hard to accurately attribute the feelings that were intended with the post. I doubt that the intent was to demand anything. What would be the point?
Take a few minutes. Have a look for constructive opinion in all that has been said. I believe that no one is being critical of you. We all owe you a great debt. I admire what you have done here. I am happy to get what I get. I didn't know that RSS was available but now that I do, I will sign up to it. Perhaps a link to a good RSS reader and the RSS feed URL wouldn't be a bad idea on the home page?
For my part folks, I can definitely recommend RSS and I think that it is great that it is available here. This doesn't just happen. Bart makes it happen.
Bart, if you would like help with the running of the boards, why not put out a call for assistance? On the subject of finance, why are we NOT paying for this? I for one wouldn't mind at all. This site is a great uniter. Of people with a common interest. Astronomy!

Here's to the future!

Don

You certainly have a valid point about tone on text-only media ... it can be very difficult to interpret. Hence the invention of the cute, if sometimes a little annoying smiley

Anyhow, I haev stopped developing the current site so I can dedicate my scarece available time to the new one. ATM the RSS we have is basic, on the new site I'd like to expand it so you can subscribe to just certain categories or boards rather than to the whole lot. When that's done there'll be an RSS icon on the top of all pages that have a feed. I'll also be adding feeds to other things like image galleries etc.

Finally, as for the money, I think the fact that IFAS is a volunteer organisation is a good thing and I for one would never accept payment for my work where. It would totally change the dynamic and IMO not for the better. I do charge a token fee for the hosting space I provide via my Web Design company but it is just that, a token fee, the actual market price for the resources this site consumes is about 10 times what is paid! What might be an idea to top up the IFAS coffers is a "donation" facility on the site but that's about as close to a pay site as I think this place should ever become.

Bart.

Bart - everyone appreciates what you do. So much so that I doubt many people here would jump at the chance of taking over

The point I was trying to make was that if you personally, as the Webmaster, felt that a request was one step too far, then just say 'No, sorry can't do that. Bring it up at the next meeting...'

I feel your stress - and that's something you definately need to avoid. Don't be afraid to just say 'no' and avoid these lengthy and essentially fruitless discourses where everyone gets to ask you to do something!

My post was meant to assist you - if someone asks you to do something, other than a really quick and simple task that you have no problem doing, then just refer the request to the committee and let them deal with it. They can go away and figure out if it is something they are prepared to support, pay for, resource etc etc.

HTH

Dave

Bart I must second what Don said. Sometimes when your doing a lot of voluntary work for an organisation like you are its easy to feel burdened and isolated. I dont think that theres an amateur astronomer in the country who hasnt benefitted from your excellent work. For that we all thank you.

I do charge a token fee for the hosting space I provide via my Web Design company but it is just that, a token fee, the actual market price for the resources this site consumes is about 10 times what is paid! What might be an idea to top up the IFAS coffers is a "donation" facility on the site but that's about as close to a pay site as I think this place should ever become.

Bart.

bart,
if the committee aprove it i think it would be a good idea to have maybe a paypal link that people could make donations for the upkeep of the site if they want to. we appreciate the great work you do.
stephen.