I agree 110% with the idea of a forum format. It would help
to
maintain specific issues in a more ordinate form and easier
to follow.
I am sorry, I am no internet geek to give some help, but it
has been
my personal experience in other forums. You can always and
easily
backtrack to the issue you want to review or follow.
My 2¢ and please, don't shoot the messenger :),
Alfonso

I don't know what email program you are using but in
Thunderbird
you can make folders and drag and drop messages to them.
In effect you are making your own forum format.
If the messages is of no interest just delete it.
If you want to keep it file it under your own folder
headings.
I find it very difficult to find information I am looking
for on forums as people decide where they want to place
questions based on their needs and not necessarily my
needs.
I wind up placing my questions on the largest thread with
the hopes
that more people will read it and my chances of getting
good
answers is enhanced.
I may be biased but I like this system better.
Paul Lamar


I agree Paul. Some of the "better" forums "Sticky"
important topics
near the top someplace. You have already done this with
your
rotaryengine.net home page. So as you are developing a
component, we can follow along here on the email side.
Ed Carver


One problem with forums is if you get into a disagreement
with
someone not quite grown up, you end up with a permanent
record,
out there for everyone to see, pretty much forever. There
is still
some anti-Paul Lamar diatribe on the Matronics engines
list posted
by an individual who couldn't carry on a debate with facts
through
this newsletter.
Someone forwarded a critique of his engine mount, and he
went nuts.
He couldn't figure out that nothing was posted to the
Internet,
that the newsletter is a discussion in real time, and if
you aren't
a subscriber, no one will hear you scream.
I vote to keep things as they are.
Outlook can be set up for delivery rules, and automaticly
sort
incoming mail to folder based on sender, topic header, and
more.
Thats how I'm tracking the various projects.
Your results may vary.
C. Smith

You can always go with building a group on Google or Yahoo.
Maintain this format but have a search-able archive of all
the past topics.  You can maintain the groups mailing list
as it is where the moderator has to read and approve the
messages before they go out. Also you can also maintain
that the moderator has to manually add new members to the group.
The main problem with the current setup is that there is
no archive, google or yahoo groups would fix that.

jin seiit
We considered that a few years ago. The trouble is you lose
control of the info. As Craig pointed out there is always
a loose cannon/or nut out there looking to make trouble :)

Paul Lamar

With the internet everything is always in transition.
It would be nice if the posters name/email address was
added to postings. Often times I'd like to send a quick
email without using Paul's time to redirect the email,
or just to clarify.

Case in point was the comment about "automotive IC's being
the same thing, just marked different". Our Automotive
Qualified parts are not the same as our industrial parts.
Die is different, but that is just the beginning. I suspect
details are of interest to three people on the list, but I
really don't want to spam the list as it really doesn't apply
to rotary powered aircraft, but can be summed up with
"use Automotive rated IC's when ever possible".  Peer
reviews are a good thing (I specialize in USB, Ethernet
IC's for industrial/mil/automotive).

I've pointed out consumer vs. automotive quality levels in the
past. So yes a forum could help so I could point to those
postings for someone new to the group or why there is a difference.

Over 25 years of semiconductor and automotive on the resume.
Cal Poly Senior Project was  Time-Speed-Distance computer based
on a brand new part called the 8051!

So my vote is keep it the way it is.

Tom

We have people on here from time to time who's sole
function is to gather focused email addresses for spam
purposes :) That is probably what Yahoo does :)

Paul Lamar