Old Logos Newsgroups Shutting Down in Two Weeks

When we launched the forums in June, we indicated that our old newsgroups were going to be discontinued eventually. It's been eight months, and it's time to close them down. On March 1, 2010 they will no longer be accessible. If you'd like to save anything for archival purposes, you have until then to do so.

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spitzerpl

sniff, sniff....goodbye old friend. May the forum you gave birth to continue on your legacy as a faithful son/daughter.

BillS

Hi Phil,

I'd add my "goodbye old friend", too, to the NGs... Thank you Logos for providing them. Thank you also for the forums.

I'm beginning to find that obedience to the new guidelines is stifling the community I/we once enjoyed... Maybe that's ok. Maybe the scale of activity on the forums means that community needs to happen elsewhere so that real help can be provided to those who need it. For me, it was always the MIX of help + community that made the NGs & the early forums so attractive.

If I'm less active on the forums from here on out, that's why. Technically, others have far more to offer... And technical focus seems to be where the forums are headed. Many blessings to you all...

Bill

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92627#Comment_92627

Bill,

I agree that there is less sense of community right now on the forums. It's become a help forum not just a Logos user's forum. In some ways during the initial beta testing I think there was some sense of community, but it has been mostly helping others, making suggestions, etc.since then.

Some of the change in feeling is probably because of the sheer numbers of people participating.

Anyway, don't go away. We need some folks with great hearts like you to keep the place warm.

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92636#Comment_92636

Anyway, don't go away. We need some folks with great hearts like you to keep the place warm.

I will miss Bill more than the newsgroup! Please reconsider...

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92540#Comment_92540

sniff, sniff....goodbye old friend.

That was my sentiment before reading Bill's post!

But, yes, the NG was a good place to be for several years.

Bohuslav Wojnar

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92627#Comment_92627

Bill, you just named it for me. I felt something is not as it had been before and I think you nailed it. Don't leave please. Let us invent something new (special Logos users community forum?) where the purpose would be different from the existing forums. I think one forum called something like Fellowship or so would serve well that purpose. You are right. The Beta time and even before, the "dreaming time" about the new version of Logos, had some dynamics we will always miss.

NetworkGeek

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92807#Comment_92807

It has been suggested before, but what about a separate section for some of the community chat/socializing that occurred on the old newsgroup? Something like "The Watercooler" or something.....I would frequent it like I did on the old NG (I lurked more than posted there, but still....)

Robert Pavich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92627#Comment_92627

If I'm less active on the forums from here on out, that's why.

Bill!,

I would only say that one of the reasons that I like the forum so much is the different people (brothers and sisters in Christ) that I've come to know and love!

Everyone here has their own unique personality, and it wasn't until you said you'd be spending less time here that I realized just how much that aspect has affected me.

You've been a good friend, and an example to me...please hang around brother....

bob

Michael Birney

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92819#Comment_92819

Obviously, from my number of posts, I am not one of the news groupers (I'd go on there for each new release or update, or when I was having issues, to learn what I was missing, then fade away).

When a church or youth ministry starts to really increase in numbers, some of these same issues come up. Small groups often help the originals to stay connected and not loose what was so good that it grew very fast. So I too vote for a watercooler / community / connection newsgroup to gain back what has been lost for many.

David A. Peterson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92812#Comment_92812

Something like "The Watercooler" or something.....

How about "Narthex" which is exactly where a lot of those types of conversations are held?

<><

Jim Poulsen

I've tried to add this forum RSS feed to my MS Outlook but keep getting an error. The Logos regular RSS daily feed works fine in my Outlook. Suggestions? Is there any other way to get the posts onto my hard drive for offline viewing/storage?

Rich DeRuiter

Philip, Bill, Mark, Dave, Bohusloav, Dominick, Robert, Michael, David, (Jim P. I don't remember if you were there or not) and any other newsgroupers out there,

I miss the newsgroups too and still check them daily (not that I've contributed much recently). They are so much easier to navigate than this forum. Here, if it's not in "Recent Topics" or "My Discussions" I don't see it.

One of the reasons the newsgroups were more of a community is that fewer of us used them. It's like the small church vs. mega church syndrome. In a small church we all know each other; in a mega church there's a lot more activities but not always more camaraderie. (I'm resisting taking my analogy on a tangent and starting a rant - but I'll stop myself.)

At the same time, I, for one, am glad that we're clamping down on some of the banter. This got out of hand, once in a while in the newsgroups, but there have been a few here that have gotten pretty nasty. And on the newsgroups I don't remember a theological discussion that actually changed anyone's mind about the position they had when they joined the discussion.

I also like seeing the pictures next to the names. It's amazing how different people look here than I imagined them to look by the personalities that emerged in the newsgroups!

And, although we're not as tight a group as we once were, there are a lot more people getting help, learning about using Logos, and finding a place to make suggestions. Over all, I think that's good, and I'm happy for all those that have been helped by what we've learned over the years in the newsgroups about how to use Logos software.

Finally, while we do want to focus on using Logos software, there's no reason we can't let our personalities shine through once in a while, even as we respond to questions, or ask our own. And the times when someone has asked for prayer (e.g.), the response has been good. In other words, if we want to have a community here, we need to build it over time, and by being ourselves.

On that note of letting our personalities out once in a while, this happened in our church this week. A boy of about 5 or 6 was sitting with his coloring book and his grandmother and asked "Who's house is this?" The grandmother explained "This is God's house." The boy looked around "I don't see him." "We can't see Him, but He's all around us," she explained. He still didn't get it. Just then I got up on the stage to start the service. The boy shrugged his shoulders and said, "Oh, there he is," and went back to coloring his picture. [I know that it sounds so cute it could be apocryphal, but it actually happened last Sunday. Oh, BTW, I refused the promotion.]

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92881#Comment_92881

Oh, BTW, I refused the promotion.

Good idea. Way too much responsibility. [;)]

BillS

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92627#Comment_92627

Mark, Dave, Bohuslav, Robert, Rich, & others,

I'm still here... just don't see a "space" for community in the structure or in the guidelines... and that's being played out in the posts.

If the community "feel" is of value to Logos (our host), I trust them to act to make it clear in some way that it's ok.

I'd support enthusiastically the notion that this isn't a forum for debate. (I don't know of anyone who's been debated into a new theological position; but, sadly, I do know people who've been argued out of the church.) Yet, other than debate, if there's no water cooler or narthex or... in the structure (that can be safely ignored by anyone seeking real help), then to me it looks like the sheer size of Logos as it grows will reinforce the direction the forums now appear to be headed.

Logos itself appears to be headed on-line (cloud) to a degree that I can't go (not uninterested & not WON'T go, but CAN'T go)... I only have internet at home, not in the office. My church is so small, there are lots of things we can't afford. To help make end$ meet personally in our jobs-poor area, I've chosen not to afford a data contract for my smart phone (& have disabled the capability to avoid unexpected costs). If the app (whether it be PC, laptop, or portable) isn't totally capable of working without internet, I have extremely limited ability to participate in it. To whatever extent Logos heads into a cloud only type of app, I guess I'm choosing not to go there. So, I've asked myself what I have to contribute that the forums increasingly need... and my answer is, increasingly, little... So.... [:)]

I hope to see you in eternity, if not before. [:)]

SteveF

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92881#Comment_92881

Philip, Bill, Mark, Dave, Bohusloav, Dominick, Robert, Michael, David, (Jim P. I don't remember if you were there or not) and any other newsgroupers out there,

I miss the newsgroups too and still check them (EDIT: occassionally)

+ Richard (thanks for this list) and also Phil Gons (who was "promoted" from among our ranks).

Although at first the Newsgroups were hard to find and to connect to (obviously an issue for Logos) they did provide much help.

Small "geekish" confession: A number of years ago I had some free time so read every post related to the beta testing of Libronix X. Enjoyed reading all of your contributions and seeing its development.

R.I.P.

Steve Filyer

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92974#Comment_92974

+ Richard (thanks for this list) and also Phil Gons (who was "promoted" from among out ranks).

Lots of others contributed a lot. Some that come to mind are (of course) Thomas, Whyndell, Joan K., George S., Charles W., Jack C., and Nathan (not the Nathan's Famous guy) who took center stage for awhile. Also Joe K. who added so many PBBs to Thomas' site.

The liability of lists like this is one minute later you recall someone you should have put on it. Sorry in advance. I gained a lot from the newsgroups, but the last year and a half read them less and less frequently.

SteveF

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92986#Comment_92986

The liability of lists like this is one minute later you recall someone you should have put on it.

Yes, there is also John Mc___. of "Builder Builder" fame. Thanks so much!

Dr. Charles A. Wootten

Actually the NG's have been a great resource over the years, and I agree with all the sentiments expressed so far.

Now that it is official, I shall go into a period of mourning. Fortunately, the biblical model is only 30 days. That means this time next month I can be my normal bubbly self after washing my hands and face.....heheh.

If you think THAT is bad, you shoulda seen me when they took away MS-DOS! [:P]

God bless

{charley}

Bohuslav Wojnar

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/93075#Comment_93075

First I thought I will not be able to get used to the forums. Now I realized only today that after installing Windows 7 few weeks ago I did not even install them anymore. (by the way, is there Windows Mail in Win 7?)

I have an archive of all posts however.

Rich DeRuiter

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/92974#Comment_92974

+ Richard (thanks for this list) and also Phil Gons (who was "promoted" from among our ranks).

This list was just those from the newsgroups, who were on this thread before I posted. There are many more who contributed.

Ralph Mauch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/93080#Comment_93080

(by the way, is there Windows Mail in Win 7?)

Yes there is a Windows 7 Mail, it's called "Windows Live Mail" which I setup to get the Newsgroups and an RSS Feed to the Forums. It doesn't come with Windows 7, but can be downloaded for free, and works somewhat like the Outlook Express did in the past, but different. For those who are moving to Windows 7 and a new computer, I would recommend getting a USB transfer cable, so that you can pickup all your accounts from the old computer, of course not necessary if it's a software change only. I'm still debating of setting up my old computer on a network with the new one, there is only so much that a transfer cable is capable of doing.

I'll will truly miss the Newsgroups, only good memories, and so many friends over the years![{] [}]

Charlene

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/93099#Comment_93099

I too will miss the newsgroups. Besides the different characters involved, it was just so much easier to find the answers to problems that arose. Oh well....they will be missed!

NetworkGeek

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/93878#Comment_93878

I actually have a Gmail account that I auto forward to, and collect all the posts to (except for the iPhone and Mac forums since I am not an iPhone or Mac user - sorry!). I se my account up to subscribe to all the other forums. This makes it very easy to (a) see ALL the posts since the last time I got on, and (b) Search is incredibly effective from within GMail (like Google). I then have an open Browser window that I use for posting, if I see a post I want to repond to, I just Copy the link location paste it into my forum-browser window, and I am ready to reply.

It really works very effectively for me, makes the pain of the NGs going away easier to handle [:'(]

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/93899#Comment_93899

Yes, I too miss those good ol' NG days. That was good fellowship and sweet memories. I'm glad to see we have all "graduated" to this new forum with a wider audience.

The memories live on and continue on. Thanks Logos and thanks to you all!

Peter

David Ladiges

Quick update - as of 2010-03-01 4:25 PM, the newsgroups are now offline.

Congratulations go out to Richard DeRuiter for the last newsgroup post (general group) .

Thanks for all the participation on the newsgroups and guidance that our newsgroup users are still providing on these forums.

Rich DeRuiter

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/99018#Comment_99018

Quick update - as of 2010-03-01 4:25 PM, the newsgroups are now offline.

Congratulations go out to Richard DeRuiter for the last newsgroup post (general group) .

Thanks for all the participation on the newsgroups and guidance that our newsgroup users are still providing on these forums.

And here is a copy of that last post, sure to be worth a mint (or maybe a peppermint), to someone on antiques road show.

And so it goes.

Yes the newsgroups were a better way of doing what's going on in the
forums. But then again, WordPerfect is still so much better than Word
(even though Corel hasn't done anything with it for years). Palm's
calendar program still outshines both Google's and Microsoft's (IMHO).
And of course, BetaMax was definitely better than VHS. All these
examples just show that what's best doesn't always survive, just what's
popular.

Here's to hoping Logos continues to be both the best and the most
popular Bible research program on the planet.

I also hope to see you all, occasionally at least, on the forum.

--Rich

There you have it, disappointing as it may be. Not even nostalgia is what it used to be.

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/99304#Comment_99304

And 'popular' is often just a reflection of marketing.

Apropos, Rich.

[Y]