Hi all.

I've been on the amel site and we have owned ocean pearl since 2008.

It has been immensely valuable to me.

I would like to make two points. 

First tech savvy people can do things on the Internet I can't begin to understand and no doubt that is why they find the yahoo site frustrating.  BUT. In my non tech way I find my way around and get all I need and I suspect many many others are the same. 

Second point and most importantly the value of the site is unquestionably the quality of the advice freely given. Go look at the cruisers forum if you want to see what I mean. Lose the hugely experienced and generous contributers and no matter how fancy or technical the site, it will die.

I AM HUGELY gratefull to the likes of bill from bebe  and others who have given us so much of their time and knowledge. Thank you guys. Please please keep doing what you do so well. I won't name any more in case I leave one out.

That's my lot

Cheers

Danny 299 Ocean pearl 

Sent from Samsung Mobile

-------- Original message --------

From: "Kent Robertson karkauai@... [amelyachtowners]"

Date:21/02/2016 14:19 (GMT+12:00)

To: amelyachtowners@...

Subject: Re: [Amel Yacht Owners] Facebook Group

 

Hi, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Too bad this has turned into name-calling.

I'm no techie, but I do LOVE this forum.  I'd hate for it to be lost because of stuff like this.

I can live with Yahoo, but it can be cumbersome when doing searches, especially in the photos section.  That could probably be corrected by shuffling photos and comments into folders set up in an organized fashion.

Of more concern is the worry that several techie types have that Yahoo will quit supporting Groups.

I thought we were on the road to fixing that with all Gary's hard work.  I have to admit that I haven't been visiting the new site much, but early reports are that it is very good.

The Facebook group already existing sounds like it has found its niche in more social endeavors.  I quit FB a few years ago and only share grand baby pics with my family.  (I only have a few "friends" and don't want any more).  If the group wanted to switch there I would be willing to try it again, but I'm not a fan.

Jay, you sound like someone who knows his way around the Internet.  I'd be interested to know if you've visited Gary's new site, and what you think about his approach.  Have you contacted him with offers to help him with it, suggestions about how to make it better, etc?

Given Gary's expertise and hard work, I'd like to know if you think Facebook would be better and why.

Please keep your answers in a language us non-techies can understand.

Steady as she goes.

Kent

SM 243

Kristy

Member going on 8 years

On Feb 20, 2016, at 8:31 AM, J Wagamon jwagam@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:

 

Bill

I get the sense that you are inclined not to listen when people don't agree with you. Why not go back and read this thread again, because I think you may have missed a few key points - especially related to the search function. In fact, you were the one that suggested closing the forum in a previous post. I understand this forum means a lot to you. Change can be hard - especially as we grow older.

I will also add that the decision to move from Yahoo forums to another platform will eventually be made for you when this gets shut down. Facebook is just one platform. Google groups is another great option. 

I had mentioned in a previous post that it is presumptuous to try and spur a change based upon my limited time here. I now recognize that me innocently trying to help people move forward, by suggesting a modernized platform, was actually entry into the crooked social structure led by "12 angry men." "It's always difficult to keep personal prejudice out of a thing like this. And wherever you run into it, prejudice always obscures the truth. I don't really know what the truth is."

In the past day I have received numerous private emails thanking me for suggesting a change and offering constructive feedback. I will go back to joining that silent majority. Eventually you will be forced to move to a platform quickly and likely lose the member base you have here.

All of that being said, the limited connectivity and bandwidth issue is a real concern. My only suggestion is hit a wifi connection like the thousands of people living in the country you are visiting. Offshore, SSB email to select group members would probably work.

Cheers

Jay

On Feb 19, 2016, at 9:26 PM, 'Bill & Judy Rouse' yahoogroups@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:

 

Jay,

Yahoo Groups are searchable from within each group.

Within the Amel Yacht Owners Group on Yahoo, you can search Conversations, Files and Photos for key words. It works. I use it all the time.

You have owned an Amel for months, not years. You have been a member of this group for I suspect months, not years. Obviously, you do not understand the features of the Yahoo Group, while insisting that Facebook is what we need.

I apologize if the following statement is offensive to anyone...BUT when a new member and someone who is new to Amel...AND someone who has not taken the time to understand what we have in this Yahoo Group, starts preaching to me and this group about what is good for us; I am inclined to not listen.

Additionally, it is not my decision or yours. If we were to successfully move to a new platform without losing members and value, the one person who MUST be "on board" is the owner of the Yahoo Group. I am not him, but if I were, I would be opposed.

Bill

BeBe 387

On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 8:40 PM, J Wagamon jwagam@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:

 

Ok. Let me field these one at a time:

1. Saying you will never be on Facebook reminds me of people saying they would never get email. Those people are still mailing letters and aren't here.

2. If you have a bandwidth issue, use the mobile version. I hadn't signed on to the browser Facebook in 1 year until today to look at bandwidth. It is high. You can use a browser to sign into mobile. The link is m.facebook.com. Less videos and graphics and uses minimal bandwidth.

3. When I say searchable, I mean for new owners looking to discuss Amels. Yahoo forums get buried in search results. Content is king and you need new users to produce it. At first glance, the user statics are impressive for this forum. However, there is a low number of unique users. Essentially, a small group of people are posting a lot!

On Feb 19, 2016, at 2:15 PM, 'Bill & Judy Rouse' yahoogroups@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:

 

Jay,

Amel Yacht Owners on Yahoo is searchable.

Bill

BeBe 387

On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 2:19 PM, J Wagam jwagam@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:

 

I agree that we don't need 2 groups. However, the one needs to be searchable. Currently, Amel Yacht Owners is not.

On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 8:20 AM, Dimitris Krasopoulos dkrasopoulos@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:

 

Dear Jay,

since one year I have developed an amelyacht owners group in Face book with a lot of participants. You can also join if you have not already

https://www.facebook.com/groups/amelyachtowners/

It is not wise to have two groups with the same purpose

Best Regards

Dimitris Krasopoulos

Mob:+306944302318

2016-02-19 15:14 GMT+02:00 J Wagam jwagam@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...>:

 

All,

I want to first thank you all for the valuable information you have provided in my relatively short time here. There are some very knowledge people here that provide great input and experience that is invaluable.

That being said, it would be useful to move to a more modern forum - a Facebook Group. Since joining this forum in November, I have received over 1,200 emails from the group. That is great but a huge amount of correspondence to add to my email. Facebook would allow everyone to take part in conversations, send links, pictures, etc. and be notified if there is additional content on the subject.

The new website, www dot amelowners dot net, could be the support mechanism to the conversations taking place on Facebook. You could even link the new website without fear of your message getting rejected. Facebook would allow you to post a question or thought with supporting pictures and documentation. People can then respond with their input and pictures. We would also have a better platform to correspond directly using the PM function.

I am the Chief Client Officer for an IT company and struggle with user acceptance and adoption on a daily basis. There is a "frustration bell curve" to any new solution that needs to be overcome. I know that it may be hard for some of you to transition away from yahoo forums but this is a truly archaic communication platform. Change can be difficult but would benefit this group tremendously in the end.

I have created a Facebook group called Amel Owners - please join it. It is a private group but anybody can join; all you have to do is search for the group name "Amel Owners." Current members approve new members. I do not want the monopoly on admin rights for the group.

I think that once you see the power/capabilties of the Faceboo k groups you all will be very excited.

I look forward to seeing youu there and please let me know if you need help joing the group or facebook.

Best Regards

Jay

S/V Hobo Tiempo currently in Lewes, DE