[Hidden-tech] Hidden-Tech Email List vs Facebook or LinkedIn Group

[Rich Roth]

Since part of the issue Christine raises was too many messages I have 
collected the common ones and made a yes/no summary below.

Personally I live on email and find too many easy to ignore when I need to,
a good local email client makes a lot of difference,
I use thunderbird - and (have banned outlook from our business use.)
Good use of folders and automatic filters makes a lot of difference.

Also we have tried to use forums for HT community for years  -- and they 
just don't fly,
granted this is not the same as using a discussion platform that is in 
common use like Linkedin,
however it seems to be the nature of the group.

One major change you can make is switch to digest mode - this is done by 
logging into hidden-tech.net
and changing your email profile - this will give you basically one 
message a day.
Many of the replies mentioned this.
Another that many people use is sending to an alternative email address 
to identify
messages and perhaps not send to their mobile device.

I have collected many of the short comments since there are many of the 
same.
Net-net including even the linkedin survey is that email is still the top.

I think part of what makes the HT list so effective is that we have a 
large number of contributors
who are will to deal with the noise (when it happens, and that is few 
days) to provide help
to those who need it -- when they need it.  Even with the delays that 
sometimes happen
due to moderation -- we end up with a more effective channel then the 
other general purpose
platforms can offer.

Since we do have a HT linked group - I'd like to see how we can use that 
effectively to support
those who prefer it -- one important requirement is others willing to 
help -- remember HT
is no more effective then then volunteers that make it happen.

Christine's Linkedin poll is at: http://linkd.in/nB5OTt


_And now for a few specific comments:_*
General:
*
Jan Werner <jwerner at jwdp.com>
Since you have to be a Linkedin member in the first place to even take 
this poll, the outcome is likely to be grossly biased.

*Some Pro using linkedin (or other service):*

More from Christine:
The Hidden-Tech LinkedIn group also has the ability to send daily or 
weekly digest emails to members, so that may provide the best of both 
worlds.
  A quick glance at the topics would help each individual member 
determine what interests them, and then they can read all responses to a 
topic in a single location.

I venture a guess that most Hidden-Tech members are using LinkedIn to 
augment their online reputation, so it might be an easy migration. I've 
received 26 emails from Hidden-Tech since 2:30PM yesterday. It's 
overwhelming.

Don Lesser:
A Facebook, Google, or Linked in group would be preferable, assuming I 
could arrange for a daily digest to remind me.
I am currently part of Google and LinkedIn groups that functions like 
that and they work well.


Robert Monaco<rob.monaco at gmail.com>:
Couldn't agree more. Love the info but the medium needs an update.
Remember the old "Server Side"?

Laura Radwell <lradwell at me.com>
I agree!  Thanks for making the suggestion, Christine.


Kristen Sund <kristen.sund at gmail.com>:
What about a Yahoo group where we can sign up for either daily digests 
or single emails?
That way we can still get emails (I find that the topics are often 
relevant, but I know that I still need emails to keep up;
I doubt I would go to another website to look at the communications).


Mark Kurber <mkurber22 at gmail.com>
    Hi Christine,
    I concur... it's a great group but my Blackberry is vibrating every few
    minutes and it's no longer efficient as a discussion tool, in fact a
    distraction.
   Time to migrate.
   Thanks for saying what I was thinking!



*Some con and want to stick with what we use:*

    Personally I would prefer not to view everything on LinkedIn or 
FaceBook,
    though I do agree with you about the list becoming quite active 
recently.
    Maybe a forum style layout online would work?
    ELIJAH GRUNDEL
    Coordinator, left-click

Marcia Yudkin <yudkinyudkin at yahoo.com>
Switch this group to Facebook or Linked In, and you'll never see me again.
People here are very good about creating appropriate subject lines, so 
it's relatively easy to be selective in what you're reading.
Banish the thought of trying to "keep up"!  At any party you attend, do 
you need to hear all the conversations?  That way lies madness.


Ann Brauer <annbrauer at valinet.com>:

I am going to vote a very strong NO to moving Hidden Tech at this point 
in time.
Yes, I delete a lot of the messages--yes, my e-mail is swamped--but my 
e-mail is also swamped by messages from Linked IN that I do not read. So 
what is the difference.
Let's keep Hidden Tech as a vital and alive entity that I know I depend 
on--even though I do use the delete key frequently.
Certainly LinkedIn is not the answer--perhaps Yahoo.  But if it ain't 
broke--just sometimes annoying--why fix it?
My two cents and right now I am sticking to it.

Tom Kopec <tek at acm.org>
If this goes to facebook, I'm gone. I'd still like to have a shred of 
privacy.

  "Edbride-PR" <Ed at edbride-pr.com>:
    I wouldn't go to a place that requires me to log-in to get email; that's
    like walking to a post office when I already have U.S.P.S. delivering to
    my house. However, a LinkedIn group has the best of both worlds: I get
    daily email from LinkedIn with a digest of posts, based on groups of 
which
    I'm a member; if I want the detail, then I can go to LinkedIn. If not,
    it's just one email to delete, not 35.

    Same with Facebook, although with their changes, I don't know if I'd
    recommend that, just yet.


Terran Birrell <terran at pressmy.biz>
    Honestly, I've gotten more value (and business) from this list than 
social
    network groups. I think because it more reliably ends up in peoples 
emails
    (since that's the only way to participate).
    You can however get Hidden-tech digest emails (once a day, maybe 
even once
    a week?) if you find the volume too much for you.\240
    Just my 2-cents.


Gretta Tucker - Tours <grettat at comcast.net>
I like the current set up but let's hear from everybody.


eddygold at aol.com
    As a "charter member" of this group, I used to get all the single 
emails,
    but after a while yes, it became overwhelming. I switched to the Digest
    version (or whatever it's called), and am now a happy camper. A 
quick skim
    of the emails listed at the top and I know whether to scroll down or hit
    delete. Plus (heresy!) when overloaded by the rest of your 
life/work, you
    don't have to read them all.
    As for Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., no thanks! I like our little group. 
It's
    not part of some increasingly faceless mega-corp. And thanks to Rich et
    al, we maintain control of our Valleyverse, not subject to the whims of
    others. I like being subject to our own whims (and whimsy)

Robert Heller <heller at deepsoft.com>:
NO! Email lists are NOT dated and inefficient now.  Some *Email* clients
are broken (and don't understand threading).  Email is many times *more*
efficient than Facebook or LinkedIn, *esp.* if one is using dialup!  I
*almost never* log into LinkedIn (maybe once or twice a month). And I
haven't checked Facebook in almost a week (maybe more).

I am on *several* Email lists and have no problem following what is
going on.  If Hidden-Tech moved away from using an Email list, I'd
probably vanish from it, which would suck.

Dan Gronwald <dan at danielmgronwald.com>
    I still prefer email over having to check several additional 
websites for
    updates. Just my preference though.

Kristen Sund <kristen.sund at gmail.com>
    What about a Yahoo group where we can sign up for either daily 
digests or
    single emails? That way we can still get emails (I find that the topics
    are often relevant, but I know that I still need emails to keep up; I
    doubt I would go to another website to look at the communications).

Reva Reck <reva at revareck.com>:
     Not everyone uses LinkedIn

Rich/web-list master

On 9/27/2011 10:50 AM, Christine Pilch wrote:
>
> I love this group. It's such a great resource. But lately the number 
> of emails is staggering, and I'm having trouble keeping up. I wonder 
> if anybody else is feeling overwhelmed by the volume?
>
> Is it time for "Hidden-Tech" to take advantage of contemporary 
> communications techniques and move list discussions to a private 
> Facebook group or the LinkedIn group that is already established here:
>
> http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1831898&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr 
> <http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1831898&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr>
>
> Email lists are a bit dated and inefficient now. I would prefer to log 
> into a central place and read, top-to-bottom, all responses to 
> anissue, rather than opening countless emails. How do you feel about this?
>
> Best regards,
>
> - Christine
>
> cid:image001.png at 01CA8D67.12D0EB70
>
> /Miracle Growth for your Company/
>
> Grow My Company
>
> 68 Dugan Road
>
> Ware, MA, 01082
>
> 413.537.2474
>
> Christine at GrowMyCo.com <mailto:Christine at GrowMyCo.com>
>
> http://growmyco.com <http://growmyco.typepad.com/company/>
>
> Connect:Linkedin <http://www.linkedin.com/in/christinepilch>Facebook 
> <http://www.facebook.com/growmycompany>Twitter 
> <http://twitter.com/ChristinePilch>cid:image005.png at 01CB1EBA.EC06CC90 
> <http://www.youtube.com/user/christinepilch>
>
>
>
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-- 
Rich Roth
Hidden-Tech
webmaster/board member
http://www.hidden-tech.net
Sponsor:http://www.thrivesmedia.com

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