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In lugnet.general, Thomas Garrison writes:
> On Fri, 18 Apr 2003, Tim Courtney wrote:
>
> > This is a big point which I feel needs attention. I know many people who
> > either find LUGNET too confusing to set up for posting, or don't like it
> > for one reason or another. Those who experience the former find it near
> > impossible to get support to help them set up. Unless LUGNET creates
> > more user-friendly methods of setting up for posting, with clearer
> > documentation and FAQs, I don't forsee many more marginally computer
> > savvy people joining and participating. Some people here might welcome
> > that side effect, but I don't. I'd like to lower the bar, rather than
> > raise it.
>
> Okay, I've read this several times, and I still don't get it. How is the
> setup for LUGNET posting confusing? Links from the main page
> (http://news.lugnet.com) and from a page that appears each time you post
> through the Web interface take you to
> http://news.lugnet.com/news/post/setup/
> This page is almost entirely linear (except for links to the TOS), with
> obvious boxes to fill out and check. The only thing that I can see about
> it that might be confusing is that it's got *so much* explanation that
> people might only read the parts in bold---but even then the only effect I
> can see is for people to not realize that Organization: is optional.
>
> What more is there to setting up LUGNET posting?
Keep in mind, people who just discover LUGNET, or who do not participate in
the newsgroup discussion are going to visit http://www.lugnet.com/. You scan
the front page and what do you see? A link to LUGNET membership. MANY I have
talked to have confused membership (paid) with posting. They don't know
anything about the news post setup section, cause they never get that far.
There's nothing pointing people on the front page to 'sign up for discussion
groups.' Beyond that, less-savvy people may not understand setting up to
post is something you configure your browser to do.
Having essentially two different ways to gain an 'account' on LUGNET isn't
that inviting, unless you're in the know as to how it works. Ideally, people
should be able to sign up for a free account, get a member number, and be
able to configure posting from that account (or something similar). Then,
if/when they want to pay to get the extra features, they do so, and their
account is upgraded. One login, one place to configure all settings.
Another issue is support. I recently talked to someone who lost their
password, and has mailed repeatedly to get it back, and not received it. I
asked them if their email address has changed, cause I believe Todd/Suz have
a habit of flicking a switch and re-sending a PW to a registered address
(something VERY logical to do). He said yes, and also added that he's mailed
them saying that, but received nothing back. If I understand him correctly,
he has paid the $10 twice to try to gain access to LUGNET newsgroups, simply
because he didn't understand the browser setup process (which I explained to
him). Because people don't appear (not saying this happens in all cases) to
get responses to help emails, that also keeps people out.
-Tim
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | posting setup
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| (...) That's a really good point. We should make this a lot easier to find. (...) This would be ideal. All the sign-up and set-up stuff is sorely overdue for a rework. I'll be giving this some serious attention in May when I get back from San (...) (22 years ago, 18-Apr-03, to lugnet.general, lugnet.admin.suggestions)
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