Dear List, (Please visit: http://delorean.0catch.com/index/delorean_forum.jpg)
As it is Easter Holiday (and I am stuck in UK because Hong Kong is bad with SARS), I and my friend Matthew have time to worked hard and develop an online forum for DOC. I had this idea because there are problems with sending attachments & problems with too much emails filling up mail boxes in a very short time when everyone is sharing their thoughts. A forum works basically like Yahoo Groups that DOC is using at the moment, but it has more function. Main benefits using online forum are:
1)Attachments can be uploaded to the server that the forum belongs to, and so no attachments will be sent to anyones e-mail and explode the mail box. Every time people want to view the attachments, they can simply download them by a click. 2)Every time you visit the forum, it will tell you how many new posts are created since your last visit, so you can check them according to your will. 3)Users of the forum are divided into different user levels& For example, Martin Gutkowski is the moderator of the Technical information area of the Forum; Chris Parnham - moderator for Shows & meetings; Andy for the Club Mag section& etc. Then the user levels goes on as Members Normal Users and Guests Not registered Members.
-Moderator is in charge of the section they look after, generally answer questions in their field. -Members are normal users. -Guest can be anyone on the internet. They can see posts that are allowed for them to see. If messages are set for registered users only they have no access to them to give our club members some privacy. The idea of having Guest user level is to allow non members to see some posts, photos&etc and hopefully gain them some interest in joining the club. 4)Different posts are divided into different topics, so people can check them according to their will/ need. So far I have these topics inserted in the forum:
~DOC News~ General Notice Usually general notices put up by the administrators The Club Magazine - Post things that you want to be published on the DOC mag Shows & Meetings - Time tables, Show Details, Time Arrangement... etc Club Gear - T-shirts, Polish, Diecast Models...etc The DOC UK Website - News on Update, Change of ISP... etc
~Technical Information~ Engine - Starting Problems, Hot/ Cold Start Problems... etc Transmission - Gearbox problem (Automatic/ Manual) Exhaust - Stainless Steel Exhaust, Free Flow Exhaust... etc Suspension - Lower Suspension problems Brakes - Brake Problems, Discussion... etc Exterior - Polish Problem, Dings Removal... etc Interior - Color matching problem, Cleaning problem... etc Steering - Shaky Steering, How to change Steering Wheel... etc Electrical - Wiring Problem, ECU Repair... etc
~Others~ Spare Parts Request/ Sales As title Right Hand Drive DeLoreans - News and thoughts on RHD DeLoreans DeLorean Collectables - Diecast models, T-shirts... etc Chat - Share whatever you want to say here... doesn't need to be DeLorean Website - Shares DeLorean sites you find Gullwing Cars - Share other gullwing cars you know
The only difference between Yahoo Groups and the Forum that I and my friend are working on is instead of checking your e-mail for DOC messages; you go to the forum website (which will be www.hkdelorean.com) to check them. This ensures that you can check these messages anywhere in the world without the need of e-mail programs like MS Outlook. You can always go back and check previous messages using the search function, so to reduce same questions being asked again and again&
Please tell me any thoughts and ideas on this as I and my friend would like to make a prefect discussion tool for DOC&
Regards, John Tien 286 (working day and night to make this works)
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