Actinic Support

[cbarling]

I think these posts illustrate that Actinic walks a difficult tight-rope, and it's important not to take the free time that people give on the forum for granted.

I would like to draw everyone's attention again to one of the slightly hidden things that we've been doing recently, namely with the Knowledge Base.

We've not only changed the software used, we've also put a huge amount of effort into updating it and adding articles. It now incorporates features to suggest new articles and suggest changes to existing ones. I would like to encourage everyone to take advantage of these features and provide as much feedback as possible.

That way, we can continue improving its usability.

Chris

[Rich Brady]

Malcolm,

I had no idea that this would prevoke this kind of reaction and apologise if I have caused offence.

and dont have the knowledge of what has gone before. We spent months getting actinic to remove references to the forum being an alternative to support.

I don't know of any history here, you're right, so again I apologise.

I mearly thought that some actinic users may not even be a ware of the community and that the answer they are searching for may already have been mentioned.

I am not volunteering anyones services, if someone posts on this Forum, nobody is forced to respond, they choose to help because they are good people.

I very much doubt that Actinic will change their Telephone message based on my post, I simply wanted to give my opinion and my opinion is that Actinic Support is very good, but for quick, convinient repsonses to reletively minor issues ( and even some major) I come here first and may be if the Forum was promoted more, support would be less congensted.

[RuralWeb]

if the Forum was promoted more, support would be less congensted

As chris says its not the job of the forum to ease the pressure on support. We had a situation last year where support were passing people onto the forum for help and that led to people (including me) refusing to help anyone - also it lead to some huge confrontations where newcommers assumed that the forum was actinic support and demanded answers from forum members.

Things have settled down again and certainly I for one would hate it to go back to those times. Actinc Support is exactly what it says on the tin ie Actinic are being paid to provide a service and the forum should be in no way connected.

The KB has been extended and is a viable step if support is under pressure.

[Rich Brady]

Point taken. Really sorry as I wasn't aware of the situation last year and had I known would have taken a slightly different approach.

I'm just a really big fan of the community and don't understand why people can register and slate support, but not do a simple search for the answer.

[RuralWeb]

I wasn't aware of the situation last year

Dont worry about it - its only us sad bastards with nothing else to do when its raining who can remember

[Rich Brady]

Dont worry about it - its only us sad bastards with nothing else to do when its raining who can remember

I class myself too as a "Sad Bastard", I've become so addicted to this community that I have lost all normal social skills.

I'm going out on Sat and will have to talk to real people without the aid of Hyperlinks, Code or Smileys...

[Darren B]

Dont worry about it - its only us sad bastards with nothing else to do when its raining who can remember

Oh bollox - I did not know it was something to do when it was raining, i've been doing it when its sunny too

[RuralWeb]

i've been doing it when its sunny too

Get them sunglasses OFF and see the light

[Darren B]

Only as long as no one suggests i walk into the light

[chris ashdown]

I think these posts illustrate that Actinic walks a difficult tight-rope, and it's important not to take the free time that people give on the forum for granted.

I would like to draw everyone's attention again to one of the slightly hidden things that we've been doing recently, namely with the Knowledge Base.

We've not only changed the software used, we've also put a huge amount of effort into updating it and adding articles. It now incorporates features to suggest new articles and suggest changes to existing ones. I would like to encourage everyone to take advantage of these features and provide as much feedback as possible.

That way, we can continue improving its usability.

Chris

Chris

What about including some of that Knowledge into the software help, afterall that is where most people first look for knowledge and help and then go online or to the phone

[RuralWeb]

Many companies also offer a technica newsletter for people to sign up to - maybe as new items are added to the knowledgebase a notification could be sent out. It would keep people upto date and encourage its use.

[leehack]

Actinic RSS?

[RuralWeb]

Podcast - blog - sms anything will do

[Duncan Rounding]

Very good point. I think regular newsletters to registered users would be of great benefit to all. It could contain some ways to benefit from feature sets, links to new useful web content as well as promote product and services. Score for all.

There used to be a monthly(?) newsletter but I don't recall seeing one for ages.

[RuralWeb]

There used to be a monthly(?) newsletter

It was just full of marketing stuff - nothing technical or usefull