Subj : Re: Getting new users
To   : boraxman
From : Vk3jed
Date : Fri Oct 14 2022 11:39:00

-=> On 10-11-22 23:26, boraxman wrote to Nightfox <=-

 bo> Completely agree.  There are already mobile and web versions of chat
 bo> and messaging and forum and email services, so why reimplement it?
 bo> Trying to "modernise" the BBS would just be an exercise in reinventing
 bo> Matrix, Web Forums, email, XMPP or Signal from scratch.

I partly agree.  Sure, there's many messaging apps, too many one might argue. 
The biggest issue is they're generally walled gardens, requiring users to keep
a multitude of them on their devices.  And real time short messaging is well
covered by these apps.

As for web forums, that's a whole different kettle of fish.  Web forums suffer
from a "one size fits all" mentality, when it comes to the interface.  The idea
that _everyone_ wants to use a web based GUI interface that works in a
particular way is rather absurd, really.  Most web forums from here are very
sluggish, because of the number of requests required to build a page (with ~200
mS RTT on each set of requests - most forums are on the other side of the
planet, and physics kinda gets in the way).  I have had better performance out
of locally installed web forums, but the navigation still leaves a bit to be
desired.

One thing some modern BBSs (especially Synchronet) do well is diversity of
access - web is there, as well as telnet, POP/IMAP, NNTP for messaging, with
FTP also available for file transfer.  And one can even go totally offline for
messaging (as I am now).

 bo> I think it is more valuable for BBS's to exist as they used to be, to
 bo> serve as a working example of how things used to be, a different world.
 bo>  It is like a heritage building.  Heritage buildings are kept as they
 bo> are, because we want to still have the past with us.

Actually they're not in many cases - the facade has to stay, but I have seen
totally modern buildings behind the original facade, or even buildings where
the heritage and modern are tastefully blended together.

I'm not a fan of "this is what XXX is and we won't change" type of thinking.  I
am notorious for using software in ways the author never intended! :D


.... You may start by impressing - _ME_ !!     - Worf
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