Text 22512, 122 rader
Skriven 2011-10-02 10:53:08 av Janis Kracht (1:261/38)
Ärende: FidoNews Vol. 28 No. 40 Sustainability IV
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                         Sustainability Part IV.

     Even if you don't operate a bbs yourself you can help Fidonet
     maintain itself and support those who do.  It's about those special
     interest echoes that the various boards support.  There are
     numerous ways to help out and generate content which those systems
     can then use as the drawing card.  After all, we want to attract
     new users, and keep our existing users coming back.

     Let's then consider ways you can help.  Again, I'm going to use
     Fidonet's ham radio message and file echoes as an example, but
     other special interests can be supported in such the same manner.
     After all, folks interested in handicrafts can gain plenty from
     both message and file echoes on their chosen hobby or avocation.
     Crafters can exchange patterns diagrams and the like via the
     associated file echoes as well as messages in the appropriate
     echomail conferences.

     So back  to my amateur radio interests and how Fidonet sysops and
     users who are hams can help various systems keep those users
     interested.


     First there's the obvious.  Got a new rig?  Talk about it in the
     appropriate message echoes.  After all the mags don't quite give
     the whole spectrum of equipment high quality reviews.  First, they
     often can't, as they depend on the manufacturers for that
     advertising revenue.  Not that we want you to rush right out and
     totally bash a product, but that average ham on the street can
     often tell us things about a piece of equipment's strong and weak
     points which the reviewer from that glossy magazine doesn't bother
     to delve into in depth.

     In addition, there's that contest you worked last weekend.  Did you
     work some rare dx?  Did you try a different antenna or modify your
     operating technique?  IF so how did it compare with what you were
     using before?

     But, there's more than the message areas that can help draw those
     users.  Lots of folks in the ham radio world would love to find a
     one stop shopping option for their favorite ham radio files,
     whether they be logging programs, original designs for home brewing
     equipment, etc.  IF you have a favorite logging program for your
     radio activities which is shareware or free no doubt you know where
     to find it on the web, and maybe even possibly have yourself
     plugged in to receive announcements from the author regarding
     updated versions, etc.  So come on, go get that cool logging
     program you like, and submit it to the proper area of the ham-fdn.


     Now we turn our attention to the sysop who operates a board with a
     focus on ham radio.  Depending on the tic processor he uses he can
     do some interesting things over and above the usual new files
     announcement in a public echo.  LET me give you an example to
     illustrate.

     Let's say that I have a user who's heavily into shortwave
     listening.  He logs on once or twice a week and trolls the usual
     radio interest echoes, maybe he posts, but maybe he doesn't.  so
     now, I've figured out that shortwave listening is his primary radio
     interest, and I"m linked to the appropriate file echo of the ham-
     fdn which will bring him shortwave broadcasting schedules and info.


     I use nef as my tic processor.  When files come in the appropriate
     file echo I can do my usual file announcement in my downlinks
     specific echo, but I know he's never going to see it there as he
     never bothers with that echo.  I can configure nef to post a
     netmail announcement targeted to him, and then either link him
     automatically to the netmail area, or use another piece of software
     to move that message my tic processor generated to him personally
     to my local area he does read.  Now since he checks for personal
     mail at log on he'll see that announcement, and before he goes to
     surf his usual message areas he'll he to the files section and grab
     it.

     I've now got a user that feels like his patronage is welcomed and
     encouraged.  Not just will he be sure to check in once or twice a
     week, if not more, but he'll also tell his friends in the hobby
     about this bulletin board that gives him the latest greatest from
     his hobby at one log in.  A little customization which might have
     taken me two minutes to set up gives that user the feeling that
     he's appreciated.

     That user in return might upload other material which is suitable
     for hatching in the same file area, as well as participate actively
     in echoes of interest to him.

     We in Fidonet need to do a bit more than participating in the same
     he said she said arguments about old wars from our days of glory,
     and actually provide more than just basic life support to our
     special interest echoes if we really want to encourage users and
     points.  That's how we retain the sysops we already have, and
     occasionally even recruit new ones.  Yes, I acknowledge this isn't
     going to help the special interest echoes in languages other than
     English, but helping the English language echoes might just
     encourage folks who aren't comfortable with the language to support
     the special interest echoes in their native tongue.  After all,
     somebody who does have a reasonable grasp of English and speaks the
     local native language might just synopsize an interesting post for
     the locals.




     FIDONEWS Vol 28 No 40              Page 4          October 3rd 2011




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