The say of the natives

> You mean, of course, "more fitting" for an uneducated, hobbyist, sophomoric, virtually illiterate and "Attention Deficit Syndromic" section of the public?

No. I dont belittle or stereotype someone just because they ask a question. Asking questions is a sign of intelligence, not the inverse as you suggest.

> I doubt if you are considering the actual demographics of Adobe's Customer base (meaning those that actually PURCHASE software)?

You have a pretty low opinion of people. I dont.

> [Free-booters who pass through these forums seeking free help with their pirated software should be beneath consideration anyway.]

I agree

> Incidentally Curt, in which Forums do you actually CONTRIBUTE any Help? [Clicking on your name doesn't indicate that you do so.]

You seem to judge people based on if they ask questions (the majority) or answer questions; the minority). I am a long time regular in the video products since 2002 Ive been one of the main contributors there and am now considered an "oldie".

> If in fact you are a Seeker of help (rather than a Provider of same), you should perhaps be a little concerned that the Forums are designed so that the people who provide your crutches have an environment that makes it both possible and desirable for them to do so!

Of course I am. But I have seen nothing in the previews announced that alarms me. I will be equally if not better equipped to answer questions in the new format than the old. But then; we are making these statements without even experiencing the new format aren't we?

Ann Shelbourne:

Do you have even the slightest idea just how arrogant you sound? Come down off your high horse and mingle with the Unwashed and Ignorant Masses. You might find it enlightening.

And one of my favorites: "uneducated, hobbyist, sophomoric, virtually illiterate and "Attention Deficit Syndromic" section of the public.

And readers are to take YOU seriously?

>I would suspect that is exactly why the forums are being updated to something more fitting to the 21st century.

You mean, of course, "more fitting" for an uneducated, hobbyist, sophomoric, virtually illiterate and "Attention Deficit Syndromic" section of the public?

I doubt if you are considering the actual demographics of Adobe's Customer base (meaning those that actually PURCHASE software)?

[Free-booters who pass through these forums seeking free help with their pirated software should be beneath consideration anyway.]

Incidentally Curt, in which Forums do you actually CONTRIBUTE any Help?
[Clicking on your name doesn't indicate that you do so.]

If in fact you are a Seeker of help (rather than a Provider of same), you should perhaps be a little concerned that the Forums are designed so that the people who provide your crutches have an environment that makes it both possible and desirable for them to do so!

>The last failure was most likely because you rolled it out prematurely without sufficient testing and because you tried to incorporate all the junk that clutters the MM Forums into it!

"I" did not have a thing to do with the timing, Ann, I was on the side of people that were saying it's not ready, as was John and many others. Do not mistake me as being Adobe or an Adobe employee. I am a volunteer in the forums as are most of the people that are here regularly. "I" also did not try to incorporate anything in the forums, then or now. John tried, and failed, to work with his team and Web Crossing to pare the WebX software to what we volunteers what it to be. That effort crashed big time.

>One other thing Dorothy:

>How often do YOU provide Adobe Application-related technical help to Forum Users anyway?

>And do you actually USE Adobe Applications every day for your profession and which ones apart from Acrobat Reader?

As to my participation, if it's really any of your business, or a factor to be considered in my qualification to be in this space, I do not, and never have claimed expertize in any Adobe programs, other then the forums. I have been hired out of these forums to manage forums in other communities, and that is the work I've done most of these years.

I use a lot of Adobe software on a regular basis, but not to a level that I'm willing to say expert. But I've known the forum software pretty much inside out, to the point, for awhile, of having had my own paid hosted account with Web Crossing. I also interact in a number of communities about online communications. So, mostly, as it regards Adobe software, I mostly read in product forums, preferring to learn from others experience, and I do generally find the answers to my questions without having to post.

I wonder if Adobe appreciates just HOW much software is sold as a direct result of advice and help that is given in these Forums?

I know for a fact that a number of people bought InDesign solely because of my enthusiasm for it when it was first announced.
(I had been one of the lucky ones who had been able to use a Pre-release "Evaluation" version of InDesign 1.0.)

> And you think that posted questions that never receive a reply are going to make for happy customers or engender a reputable Corporate Profile?

Though you may be helpful in whatever forum you have expertise; do not overestimate your uniqueness. There are likely hundreds of you willing to step in if needed. The world's cemetary's are full of people who thought they could never be replaced. If you are threatening to not answer questions because of the format of the forum, that is your decision, but i doubt the kind of threat adobe would respond to.

> Or is your object just to have a kiddies playground where you can post Avatars and click buttons mindlessly?

I suppose you are suggesting that people who prefer a different format are childish? Its more likely people who judge others who are childish. Because you know an answer about some adobe product does not make you smarter than the person asking the question. It simply means you know one small product better than they do, and like to hang out at forums.

> Or are you intending to be the one guy left to field ALL of the questions on ALL of the Forums when all of "the Regulars" have left?

Hardly. Its clear to most that your attitude does not represent the masses.

> I don't see the point of pandering to the lowest common denominator in the hope that sinking to the level of the least educated will generate more traffic in the Forums because once that Traffic find itself in a one-way street (and a dead-end at that!) because there is no-one there to answer questions or offer help anymore that traffic will dry-up.

Again; you assume that someone asking a question is a "lower common denominator". Scary attitude.

> One thing to keep in mind: do NOT discount the considerable amount of Adobe software that is sold solely because of the unbiassed recommendations of "the Natives" who selflessly man the pumps in these Forums day after day.

I would suspect that is exactly why the forums are being updated to something more fitting to the 21st century.

>I don't think so, i'm sure john did the best he could with what he had, it likely failed because it wasn't scaled correctly and adobe cheaped out on the hardware and/or support to help them scale and configure it.

That's typical. Most companies only prived forums get the customers out of their hair. They are just interested in selling a product.

>The last failed test was Web Crossing. Wanna try that one again?

done correctly? yes. thanks for asking.

>The last failure was most likely because you rolled it out prematurely without sufficient testing

I don't think so, i'm sure john did the best he could with what he had, it likely failed because it wasn't scaled correctly and adobe cheaped out on the hardware and/or support to help them scale and configure it.

>The last failed test was Web Crossing. Wanna try that one again?

The last failure was most likely because you rolled it out prematurely without sufficient testing and because you tried to incorporate all the junk that clutters the MM Forums into it!

One other thing Dorothy:

How often do YOU provide Adobe Application-related technical help to Forum Users anyway?

And do you actually USE Adobe Applications every day for your profession and which ones apart from Acrobat Reader?

The last failed test was Web Crossing. Wanna try that one again?