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     Re: Facebook Synchronet BBS group   
     By: Codefenix to Digital Man on Fri Feb 06 2026 10:37 am   
      
    >   Re: Facebook Synchronet BBS group   
    >   By: Digital Man to All on Thu Feb 05 2026 10:08 pm   
    >   
    >  DM> This is kind of a rant, sorry.   
    >   
    >  DM> Every few weeks or maybe it's months, someone posts a support question   
    >  DM> in the Synchronet BBS group or (worse) direct messages me on Facebook   
    >  DM> asking me Synchronet support questions.   
    >   
    > It's a fair rant! Don't be sorry!   
    >   
    > I was one of those people that started asking questions on the Facebook   
    > group, back in 2020 when I was getting started in the hobby. Once I   
    > discovered the resources like the wiki and the online Javascript reference,   
    > I never did so again.   
    >   
    > (I'm also not even on FB anymore, so there's that :P)   
    >   
    > I think there are a few reasons why people (ab)use Facebook for seeking   
    > support.   
    >   
    > 1) Newcomers to the hobby don't know the jargon, and therefore don't know   
    > the questions to ask and topics to seek in the wiki. The wiki is invaluable   
    > for experienced sysops, however if I put my feet into the shoes of the   
    > uninitiated, I have to admit it seems pretty daunting.   
    >   
    > 2) The (flawed) notion that their question posted on FB will be more visible   
    > and get answered more quickly.   
    >   
    > 3) FB is right there in their pocket, unlike DOVE-Net which isn't   
    > necessarily as readily accessible, at least not initially for newcomers.   
    >   
    > I get your rant completely, but I also get the inclination for some to ask   
    > questions on a platform they're already familiar with. At least they're   
    > asking questions and trying to understand.   
      
   While I was writing that rant, I was thinking (sort of answering myself) that   
   a lot of want-to-be sysops aren't really interested in *using* BBSes for   
   messaging. Maybe they're only interested in hosting door games or ANSI art or   
   whatever and don't care to figure out how to sign-on to another BBS and post a   
   question there and check back for an answer. And that's what bothers me: they   
   want to run a BBS, but can't be bothered to *use* one for its primary intended   
   purpose. USENET (alt.bbs.synchronet) is gated to the SYNCHRONET (discussion)   
   as well, but they can't seem to be bothered to post there either.   
      
    > Now.. for those that say you're not supporting them, they're just wrong.   
    > You've never been anything but generous with your time answering questions   
    > and supporting this software.   
      
   Thanks. I definitely try to limit the support I give on non-official   
   platforms/channels so as to not encourage their continued use for that   
   (without being a jerk).   
      
   Messaging was the original purpose of BBSes and BBS software and if we   
   (including myself) don't use them for that purpose, then they'll never get   
   better or more capable at that.   
      
   I see support questions as a gift, an opportunity to make the software better   
   (fix a bug or make it more intuititve or whatever), so I get frustrated when I   
   *want* to support the sysop (asking Qs on FB or Reddit) but also want to   
   encourage them to use the official support conference/channels. And then when   
   I do, they just disappear, their valuable questions/feedback along with them.   
   :-(   
   --    
                                               digital man (rob)   
      
   Breaking Bad quote #46:   
   If I ever get anal polyps, at least I know what to name them. - Saul Goodman   
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