Manager Forum

By now you may have noticed some changes have occured in the forum structure, including some new sub-forums. Briefly, here are the main reasons driving this update:

1. OD5.com/SK5.com version 2.5 (due late April-May) will include a forum link inside the browser for Live Tips users to have a place for the questions and comments that don't belong in the Tips system. This move should positively impact the WRENCH and OD5/SK5 Repair areas.

2. Manager / Manager Plus SE 6.4 is going to be released soon to a much wider group of customers. Users need the forum to adapt to accomodate the questions that these programs, along with Manager Enterprise, will generate.

3. Increased visibility of forum topics would motivate more potential members to register (we want shops to register; it appears not to be obvious enough to shops as to why they should register). The more shops can see, the more shops will be compelled to register as the theory goes. Remember that this move to make many forum topics "public" could be reversed if it caused an issue or concern.

Which topics should remain Registered only? I'm thinking CLUBHOUSE and SHOP2SHOP are members only. How would you feel about WRENCH topics being more visible? People have to be registered to post or reply so maybe this is the way to go.

NOTE: All forum topics used to be visible; we changed most to 'registration required' status in an effort to address security concerns. Since we have now made an account # mandatory during the registration, spam and "tourists" (posters who were not shops using our products) have fallen to just about zero.

4. Working with sub-forums has shown me a way to better organize your forum topics so that all users can find what they're looking for easier. For example, SHOP2SHOP could be sub-divided by Building, Customers, Standards, Employees, Equipment. Zero in on what you need faster.

Look at the sub-forms I have in place; if you find the sub-headings too small to read, just click the main heading to see them at full size:

Please take a moment to cast a vote and also comment if time permits. Thanks, Tim

Sounds good to me. Ya gotta join for the Club House and shop2shop. Are there cocktails being served at the hotub?

What ever works best Mitchell. I'm easy (shhhhhh)

I think you guys at Mitchell are doing a great job. I've been involved with OD5.com for quite some time & have been posting tips since it started back in 1997 or 1998. Some of you might recongnize me as "Dr G" on that program. I'm glad to hear that on OD5.com there will be a new area similar to the clubhouse on here for us techs to talk about things. So far we've only had the General Discussion tip which my friend Jake Payne started on Jan. 2 2009 & after about 300 or so posts a new thread is started & we're now at #23. Thats a lot of good conversation between techs & business owners. There is still an issue of "people" getting on that site making posts of useless info....mostly kids at a tech schools but Nick does a nice job of filtering out the garbage. Thats the reason why we need to have registrations there & here, definitely for Shop-Shop & Clubhouse. I've seen alot of questions posted both on this side & OD5 where someone gives absolutely no info about what their working on or what they've check as far as diagnostics & want us to wave our magic wand in front of the screen and fix their dilema....I ignore these posts whole heartedly. None of us have time to chase down these wierd symptoms over the computer if the tech who posted the question can't even help themselves by providing some technical info regarding what they have already checked. This is why I feel everything needs to be registered. I know I'm going on & on but I like Mitchell 1 products & want to try & help with keeping the program going in a good direction. If I could, I'd suggest a big box in a different color that grabs your eye on the top of the screen that says "Register Here". When you click on the box or link it would explain all of the great tools within Mitchell 1 that can be used by simply setting up a profile


Jeremy

Keep the vagrants out. This is not a social networking site (facebook), or a free fix me site (ehow). This place has helped me out many times, the people are great, the info useful. I agree with the account number required to join. I get annoyed with the poopyheads that only post in the fix it section. never giving enough info and not posting fixes. I am here to try to help the members, not the ones who want, want, want, and never return the favor.

I agree with what Tina & Jeremy have already posted

a&mauto wrote:I agree with what Tina & Jeremy have already posted

Ditto.

I still haven't found the hot tub though. We could of used the water to put out the fire at the clubhouse.

What water?

Rich wrote:What water?

i was leavin that one alone.

Thanks, so far the vibe sounds positive to forge ahead. Since this is a sizeable change, I wanted to offer discussion before committing to it.

Jeremy - Clarification: I put the missing word link into point #1 above as in forum link within OD5.com. The Tips software doesn't lend itself to a discussion forum and that is the point. Rather than seeing a brand new forum have to start up from zero, I said it made better sense to annex into the current forum and make it more repair-friendly. I will need to put together a welcome OD5.com/SK5.com video to break it down. Tips belong within the xx5.com product and everything else goes here.

Tina - After chasing off spammers for a few years and interrogating suspected tourists, I can say with confidence that the acct # requirement did the trick.

Jeff- It's Friday and BYOB on the cocktails; there should still be some in the Clubhouse fridge unless they cut the power off.

Keep the comments coming.

i take friday off and see what happens. change, i hate change. i get use to something and "wham" someone changes it. as far as the remodeling of the open topics i think that to get active members that are helpers and doers not bottom feeders and klutzes we need to change the bait. the nucleus seems to be constant (since tina's back) and the positive posters that have jumped in have become welcome regulars. we'll always face the hitters and discontented posters. nothing that we can really do. just cull the herd or wait them out. closing the window a bit or installing a screen will keep out more than just the (can't think of the correct word or phrase). i may have been considered one before i was welcomed into this forum after i was made uncomfortable in others. i guess i don't want this forum to loose any appeal, even the slightest amount. i don't want to miss a tech, owner, manager, office manager, etc, that can become an active contributor and inject new ideas. even ideas that are way off will stir up the collected floor dust and on occasion a member will see something workable in it and "wham" we'll be off on a new adventure. conformability is a two side sword. it feels great but after a while stagnates. well anyway, that's my feelings on the topic.

Vote to always keep CLUBHOUSE, and SHOP2SHOP "private".

Tim, I am digging the sub-forums, love the changes!

John C. wrote:Tim, I am digging the sub-forums, love the changes!

Thanks! It is amazing how it is falling into place now. Some of the topics (example ON THE BOOKS) have been really dense and in need of some cleaning up; now users should be able to locate more of what they're looking for sooner.

Have figured out how to place links strategically and lots more.

i'm liking the sub cats!

I am very busy and I would like to spend more time in here. However I find it very difficult to get around in this program. Than I just give up. So anything you can do to make it faster, easier to get around would be greatly appreciated.

I try but there are limitations. It would be helpful to know where the difficulty is so I can see if there is a way to better address it.