Re: [microsound] hotline server?

[Julian Knowles <julianknowles@xxxxxxx>]

I felt that Tom might better explain his decision to use KDX. Here is 
his response.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Tom Ellard" <xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 13 June 2005 7:00:54 PM
> To: Julian Knowles
> Subject: Re: thread re KDX sevcom
>
> Interesting.
>
> My response: I am sure the microsound list can understand the need for 
> experimentation - in this case in terms of communications. We're about 
> 6 months down the track and I think I can answer some questions.
>
> We chose KDX because it works the same on all platforms. We looked at 
> a lot of other tools and thought this seemed pretty compact and 
> efficient. It fits on a USB key and it works on any machine you care 
> to use - take it to India with you! It's also very security minded. 
> Bad points - one developer - he's a touch nutty and we don't know when 
> the new version comes. But he listened to every one of our requests, 
> said some are already happening. We are more about talk than files and 
> that's not common.
>
> Community building - is hard work. KDX is not for the lazy sysop. You 
> have to have the drive of the small town. One problem is that people 
> are confused by 'news'. It's the same as 'mail' but it just seems hard 
> to grasp that you can just mail that way - and they feel pressured to 
> chat when they don't have to do that. But having said that - once 
> you're in KDX it uses up no bandwidth. Just log in and ignore it. We 
> even found a new concept we call 'blurking'. You just sit in the chat 
> and leave it running all day. Come home at night and see what was said 
> all day. The quality of the community is people, not the program.
>
> We found that a different bunch of people use KDX than used to be on 
> the mailing list. Odd.
>
> I would sum it up by saying that you cannot move a mailing list onto a 
> KDX. It becomes something else. It becomes smaller, more dedicated, 
> more about strong personalities.
>
> If anybody would like to kick the tyres they are welcome at 
> 'sevcom.com' port '1984' pass and name 'guest'.
>
> Cheers.