[MrNate]

"The people complaining would probably prefer to be reading brewing news via UseNet over a 1200 baud modem connection to their local BBS.  Some people can't deal with change..."

This is one of the reasons I will miss TechTalk; no trash-talk flaming going on, just simple, straightforward beer-and-brewing questions and answers. As to waiting a day (or, gadzooks, a weekend) for a reply, well, with age comes patience.

I realize that everything changes and acceptance is part of adaptation, but at least I was regularly helped on TechTalk and never insulted.

Not to defend insults (and they seemed to be flying both ways to me), but the thing I like most about homebrewing forums, and this one in particular, is that having an "off topic" section affords the opportunity to BS around with fellow homebrewers apart from the nuts-and-bolts of brewing. You'll rarely find me posting elsewhere, in fact.

There is simple, straightforward advice to be had here on this forum - but The Pub is not where you'd be likely to find it. Just a point for any TT aficionados who happen across this thread.

[denny]

For it to thrive, I'd like to ask the governing committee to encourage their colleagues on the committee to start posting.  For instance, I am thrilled to see Gordon Strong participating and will read just about anything he posts but I'd like to hear from more of the "stars" in homebrew. It would be quite exciting to start seeing some of these guys start posting here.

I'm likewise extremely happy to see Gordon, Tom Schmidlin, and Susan Ruud starting to post here.  Hope I didn't leave anybody out!  All GC members have been encouraged to post, but that's a personal commitment that will depend on their time.

[tschmidlin]

For it to thrive, I'd like to ask the governing committee to encourage their colleagues on the committee to start posting.  For instance, I am thrilled to see Gordon Strong participating and will read just about anything he posts but I'd like to hear from more of the "stars" in homebrew. It would be quite exciting to start seeing some of these guys start posting here.

I'm likewise extremely happy to see Gordon, Tom Schmidlin, and Susan Ruud starting to post here.  Hope I didn't leave anybody out!  All GC members have been encouraged to post, but that's a personal commitment that will depend on their time.

Thanks Denny, it's good to see you posting here too!   And Drew, and Kai, and Fred, and really a bunch of people I didn't know before but am getting to know through their posts.

[animaldoc]

Frankly, though, I'm pretty turned off to the idea of being part of this community after reading the responses from forum members towards those prefering TT. I don't agree with the TechTalkers who have been bashing the forum, and likewise I don't need to deal with you guys on the forum who have responded in kind.

Thank you, honestly, for the civility from those of you (Denny, Drew and many others) who have shown it. It's a shame a vocal minority has to frame this as an "us vs. them" issue.

I've been reading through the posts on this thread tonight as a fan of TT who prefers that format to the forum from an expediency-for-my-limited-available-time homebrewer perspective.

This post struck me as very interesting.  I see two groups of people responding in reactionary fashion to protect their own turf.  TT readers insulted that their preferred form of communication was arbitrarily being taken away (I'm describing the perspective, not necessarily the facts) and the Forum users ridiculing the TT users as old timers with slow modems who would prefer a BBS format (an analogy I must admit I find quite humorous, having navigated "a maze of twisty little passages, all alike" via acoutstic modem on my father's company mainframe when I was a child).

Both sides reacting similarly.  Perhaps we have more in common than we thought <g>.

As gabetoth stated, I also would like to thank the Governing Committee and everyone else who has been thoughtful and  respectful in the discussion of this issue. 

One thing that has become very clear to me is that our GC is listening to the feelings and desires of it's membership.  Regardless of the final outcome it's good to know.

I personally don't think the Forum is bad .... I've used it (and others) and I think it is a valuable resource.  I feel the same way about TechTalk.  Both have pros and cons.  I just like one better than the other.  Is that a bad thing?  Clearly there are a significant number of people who find TechTalk to be a useful tool.  And they use it every day.  Just like the Forum users.

I'm embarassed by the "take my ball and go home" tone of some of the responses that were posted to TechTalk.  I almost didn't get involved in the discussion because of it.  Not the most mature way of handling things, but often the reaction of those who feel they have no other choice if they want to get someone's attention.
 
Both sides now have an opportunity to elevate the maturity level of the discussion -- both sides are being heard.

I'm pleased that alternatives are being sought to keep TechTalk alive.  Just because there is a Forum doesn't mean we don't need TechTalk and vice-versa.

-- Scott

[Joe Sr.]

Unfortunately very few of the TechTalkers are reading this and most of the ones who have responded to this thread have been one and out. 

Perhaps this is simply reflective of different usage patterns by different groups.

If 2500 people are reading TT, there are certainly not 2500 people responding or posting questions.  Perhaps it's generally a more passive group (this is not a negative).  I would note - as an aside - that there are only 1400 or so views of this thread and a small core of active posters.

Same with the "one and out" as to usage patterns.  TT does not typically follow as a conversation (or debate) in the fashion that a forum does, so perhaps us TT users are more inclined to simply say our piece and move on, rather than engage in a back-and-forth.

Damn you, you're pulling me into the forum...

[tschmidlin]

Damn you, you're pulling me into the forum...

Resistance is futile . . .

[majorvices]

Damn you, you're pulling me into the forum...

Bwahahaha! I'm glad. 

[bluesman]

Damn you, you're pulling me into the forum...

Bwahahaha! I'm glad. 

Keith...you have a knack for doing such.   

[joelambic]

I'll finally weigh in.  I like TT for a couple of reasons.  First, it is only open to AHA members and has been marketed as a perk of membership.  There has been talk of a members'-only section of the website but I don't think there is a plan to have one on the forum.  If the forum replaces TT and is open to all, how is this a perk for members?  Those AHA members who prefer the forum and see little value in TT don't have to subscribe to it.  Second, I like having something in my mailbox rather than having to go out to search the forum.  Official AHA communications could easily be posted to both.

I have been on the forum pretty much since it started.  I, however, have not always made an effort to check in regularly so when I do stop in after a long period have a huge amount of threads to sift through to catch up.  I do make use of the unread link rather than sifting through all sub-forums so this helps but a hiatus of even a couple of days results in several pages of topics to go through.  Top this off with the several other forums I like to check and this can take the better part of a day to process.

I think both the forum and TT have a place within the AHA.  Comments on both sides that more or less make fun of the other are not productive.  Also, I see on the forum, several people trying to make "jokes".  These rarely come across as intended in an online format so tend to get misinterpreted.  Can't we all just accept this and stop the comments lauding or denigrating one or the other?  Let the individual choose what they want.

On a side note, my club has had a long-standing list server (not moderated or only in digest form).  We have started discussing whether or not to implement a forum and/or wiki to supplement the email list.  We however will likely not replace the email list.  Unlike TT, our list is hosted for free by a local entity and we don't have people spending time compiling and editing emails into a concise digest.  Regardless, the club organizers see each having their place rather than one having to replace the other.

[Thirsty_Monk]

I like TT for a couple of reasons.  First, it is only open to AHA members and has been marketed as a perk of membership.  There has been talk of a members'-only section of the website but I don't think there is a plan to have one on the forum.  If the forum replaces TT and is open to all, how is this a perk for members?

I read both TT and I participate in AHA forum.
Not to sound negative but I do not consider TT as a perk of membership.
I would consider perk if I have all Zymurgy magazines available and searchable.

[ullarsskald1989]

Resistance is futile . . .

"Oh bother!" said the Borg, as they assimilated Pooh.

[theDarkSide]

Post from 8/17/10 Tech Talk:

  Forums are great for people who don't have a life.
   

Brewer's Code Rule #1 - Don't be a D$$$...learn it, live it.

Oh wait, he probably has a life so he isn't reading this.

[majorvices]

I have to admit, the whole "if you spend time on a forum you don't have a life" gets on my nerves. For instance. I have 2 boys - one's in Cub Scouts and one plays Football, both are straight "A" students, both play instruments. Both are well behaved and I spend a lot of time with them.

I also have 2 dogs that I walk 2Xs a day,  I live on 7 acres of mountain-wilderness land (with a wilderness the size of the smoky mountains behind my house), I don't have cable TV, don't watch any TV except for during football season, I run between 20 and 30 miles a week. I hike 2 or 3 times a week. Lift weights regularly. Read every day. I'm a frequent backpacker, going out between 2 and 5 nights at a time. And and I ride a motorcycle and do freelance work for a living. Oh, and have I ever mentioned I'm also a homebrewer???

And I have around 1200 posts on this forum (and more on others.) Gosh darn-it!! How much more of a life do I need???

[joeysmokedporter]

Major--

you're making me rethink my own life!

After seeing responses both here in the forum and on TT, I'm convinced that there will unfortunately be a small population of people who won't change their minds and will provide reasons like "people on the forum don't have a life"--whether valid or invalid--as a way to justify not changing.  However, I've also seen a number of responses (again here and on TT) indicating that there are a significant number of people that will give it a shot.

While I hope ultimately as many people move on with this as possible (given tools like RSS to help with keeping up, which I would add is really helpful to me personally), I'm guessing that at least a few will not, no matter what case is made.  Personally I'm more than willing to learn from and help other brewers regardless of the technology platform.

[bluesman]

In regards to Post from 8/17/10 Tech Talk:

"Forums are great for people who don't have a life"


I find that statement to be blindly judgemental.  It's also considered stereotyping IMHO. 

However everyone is entitled to their own opinion.