MSGID: 1:153/757.26 8d44f591   
   PID: Hotdoged/2.13.5/Android   
   TID: jNode/Android   
   CHRS: UTF-8 4   
   REPLY: 2:221/1.58@fidonet ea897449   
   Hello, August Abolins.   
   On 11/18/20 9:15 PM you wrote:   
      
    AA> Hello Charles! ** On Wednesday 18.11.20 - 19:05, Charles Pierson    
    AA> wrote to August Abolins:   
    CP>> Telling them about echomail is somewhat useless without them    
    CP>> understanding BBSes are still here and operational, and do not    
    CP>> require computers older than they are to access.   
    AA> One step at a time. The first step.. join an echo. Then they      
    AA> "learn" the unique terms and further possibilities.   
      
   First Step: Learn about BBS and Echos.   
   Then join.   
      
   A random websearch isn't getting you there.   
       
    CP>> A "landing page" would do no more than any current BBS's Webpage    
    CP>> now.  It would still require a specific search for BBS related    
    CP>> terms, so short of reading an article about BBSes somewhere, or    
    CP>> seeing BBS and BBS networks mentioned in their favorite social    
    CP>> media platform, they wouldn't know what to look for.   
    AA> The page would be a tool.  Stas' google search using   FUTURE4FIDO    
    AA> pulled up my "Help" page, first.  That probably   means that    
    AA> Google has recognized it gets a lot of visits and   is therefore    
    AA> "relevant".   I would not dismiss the usefulness   of a suitable    
    AA> info-page as quickly as you do.  ;)   
      
   I didn't dismiss it. I said you would have to know what to search for to find   
   it.     
      
   If I knew nothing about BBSes, or Fidonet, why on Earth would I type   
   FUTURE4FIDO in a searchbar?   
       
    AA>>> Most potential users are reading blogs and forums that cater      
    AA>>> to their interest.  Ephemeral conversation is often limited to    
    AA>>> Facebook - because that is all they know.   
    CP>> And a landing page found by Google searches won't change that.   
    AA> I wouldn't be so sure.  People seem to think that the internet      
    AA> *is* google.  That's what they use - a lot.   
      
   But how are they going to have any idea of what to search FOR?   
      
    AA>>> If there was a landing page that describes what echomail is      
    AA>>> and how to use it (either via the Telegram app, or fTelnet or    
    AA>>> whatever interface) then they can be informed about the      
    AA>>> strange world of BBSing via their devices too.   
    CP>> That's not going to happen via Googling it.   
    AA> It worked well with a FUTURE4FIDO search.  It can work for   other    
    AA> things.   
      
   You are purposely missing what I am saying.  Without learning about bbs and   
   echos elsewhere, they are NOT going to search for it.   
       
    CP>> They will have to see it discussed via blogs, Tweets, Facebook    
    CP>> posts, Instagram, whatever.   
    AA> Sure, that too. Start doing that.  ;)   
      
   I don't do social media like that.   
       
    CP>> There has to be something attracting interest first.   
    AA> Pretty icons help.   
    AA>>> I think the messaging component should be promoted first,      
    AA>>> *then* the BBS. Not the other way around as it is now.   
    CP>> It goes hand in hand.  BBS'S and amateur computer networks  have    
    CP>> been around longer than Zuckerberg has been alive. You're not    
    CP>> buried in advertisements because you did a websearch about    
    CP>> headphones once to get someone a gift.   
    AA> Those things have been around longer. Fine. But new people   have    
    AA> not.  ;)  I don't quite get your meaning on the latter   sentence.   
      
   They're selling points.   
      
      
    CP>> But you can't simply say "Hey kids, you want echomail conferences    
    CP>> about almost any topic you can think of?" Without also explaining    
    CP>> about BBSes and how to use them.   
    AA> But I think that would work.  Hey kids.. google "fido   echomail"    
    AA> and maybe even the keywords "start here" and learn   that it can    
    AA> be a fine alternative to the usual forums and chat   sites out    
    AA> there.  THEN, they learn that they are attached to   the strange    
    AA> things called BBSes. And these BBSes can be   contacted directly    
    AA> too.   
      
   That's a good way to get a few people to maybe login once.   
      
   You need something that actually gets their interest.  Google this isn't it.    
   1000000 clickbait ads do that much.   
       
      
   --   
   Best regards!   
   Posted using Hotdoged on Android   
   --- Hotdoged/2.13.5/Android   
    * Origin: Houston, TX (1:153/757.26)   
   SEEN-BY: 105/81 129/305 153/757 229/426 664 700 282/1038 301/1 322/757   
   PATH: 153/757 229/664 426