Does this forum serve any purpose?

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

In recent communications with VATSIM, it has come to our attention that the majority of VATSIM members favor some other method of communicating than forums. Given that that is the case, and that VATSIM seems to be developing their own list server, do you see any necessity in keeping this forum running?

[wrenchca 0]

Most certainly YES! When all else fails and you cannot figure out a problem by any other means, the ability to reach out and get ideas from another person is invaluable. I have on many occassions had to come here, hat in hand looking for assistance. Other times, I have jumped into the fray to assist those who are running out of ideas and hope.This forum's mere presence is an excellent tool as well. By searching through previous posts, you can quite often find your own solution,( something I should have done with my last problem:P .Let's keep it alive, it's one of the few things that keeps the flight simming community a "Community".

[Guest MB327]

Yes, I do Tom. We point to this forum from our Pilot Resource Center as the primary source for on-line support for our members. I have been on the mend for several months due to a back problem and have not spent much time here this year. But time and time again, members step up to share knowledge for both new and experienced members who are having problems. This forum also serves as an alternate site to make announcements.This forum (by my rough count) ranks in the top 20 out of 65 fourms hosted here on AVSIM. To date, I have had no intention nor discussion with anyone about abandoning The VATSIM Support Forum here on AVSIM.

[Guest Matt Johnson]

Well, Mike, all we can say is that others in your organization do not seem to share the same view.

[hvw 402]

Matt,Wouldn't it be a better idea to have this discussion between you (Avsim) and Mike (Vatsim) via non-public channels?I, for one, am very much interested in keeping this here forum alive but would prefer not to be a spectator in the yes/no conversation that might be ignited between Avsim/Vatsim in this forum.Thanks,Hans

[Martin Georg EDDF 0]

Same here,I

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

You are not half as irritated as I am.Martin, you are being presumptuous. I *** DID *** discuss this with Richard and others. Those discussions resulted in my question that started this thread in the first place. Had I listened to at least one of those earlier discussions, this forum would have been shut down in a heartbeat. And let me set you straight on another score... If I have concerns about the use of this forum, I WILL address them to the "right people" - the users of this forum. In doing so via this topic, I haven't just shut it down and have given users here an opportunity to sway my mind. Before you castigate me, you should have looked into the subject with the BOG first (or at least a member or two, following your own advise to me).It might come as a surprise to you that this forum, newsgroups and other open "discussion" areas were dimissed out of hand as not being important to VATSIM (most emphatically NOT by Richard). Thus my question. So, you should be happy I asked this question here. At least it has kept the forum open a bit longer than it would have otherwise.

[Guest dweese]

Yes we need this forum.Some people would be lost with out it. Not sure who said this forum did not serve any purpose, but they must never look here to see the amount of support info that gets posted.

[Vulcan 14]

Along with others Tom, yes we do need and appreciate this and the ProController forum for the very reasons stated by others here.If this forum was dismissed as being 'not important' then I think we, the VATSIM members, need to raise the issue with the VATSIM BoG to advise them what the membership wants.I do hope this VATSIM is not going down the secretive road of 'we know what's best for you'.Please Tom , keep both forums open.