Lee Lefeever has a nice article on a familiar topic for those that have been in the "internet" world for a while. Way back when this was a discussion of the merits of various listserves vs. the Usenet. Today it is those same mailing lists vs. web-based forums and the like. And now we can add the idea of group weblogs, depending on the needs of the group. The issues remain the same. What does the group want?
I am subscribed to a very active mailing list on tandem bicycling, and this topic came up there (again). Someone wants to move away from listserv to "more modern" technology. Debate ensues because most folks are happy with the existing format.
Email Lists and Message Boards- Where's the Middle Ground?
It seems to me that most of the many-to-many communication tools came from two very established origins:
- Email lists (AKA Listservs)- These are email-based groups where members receive email as an inherent part of participation. One message sent to an email address shared by the group is sent to everyone in the group. While the volume of emails can be cumbersome, email lists are effective in �uhing�iformation to members- they only need to check email to participate.
- Message Boards (AKA UBBs)- These resources are much more web-based where members visit a web site to participate (post and read messages posted by other visitors). While email notifications are usually offered, the default is for members to proactively visit the site to keep up with the discussion- email is not implied. The site pulls the members to a single location (a web site) to participate.
Each of these has their place in my book. However, I think that the future of these tools in business situations is a combination of the most powerful aspects of each.
[via Column Two]