New Message Board Forum and Web Site

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Is there any way to go back to the old message board format? The vote is in over the past few months. This new design has driven 95% of the traffic away. I use to look at it several times a day. Now I just dread looking at it about once a week.

Jim Fredrick

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Jim,

The short answer is NO. The new site has so much more information available to our members. New format is not the end of the world . The web committee is working hard to give you the tools to keep in touch with everyone. Spend some time learning how to use the search boxes. They answer so many questions that used to require the message board when asking for technical information. If you log in and don’t log out that phone, desktop, etc. stays signed in for 2 weeks. That said, it can look like traffic is less when it is not. Someone can be on five time a day and it wont show on the “Current Web Activity” page if they don’t sign out. Post a few photos and see how easy this is in the new site!  Need help navigating this site e-mail the committee for help. Look for new help videos soon.

Karl Krouch Sr.

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Constructive comments are always helpful to the Website Management Committee.  The email address for specific comments is [email protected]  and is listed on the Contact Us page of the website, under the About Us tab on the main website page.

We are all volunteers in the Pierce-Arrow Society.  We work hard to help this system function and to teach members how to use the new website.  There is a document at the top of the Message Board page and also on the Help Desk page here at https://http://www.pierce-arrow.org/help-desk/ that gives instructions and tips for using the Message Board/Forum.

Reviewing this will likely answer many questions you have or you may always contact the committee directly at [email protected]

We hear your frustration, yet we have no way to address general comments of “I don’t like this”.  There are many, many changes that have been made to make our website better for our members and there is a learning curve in any change.  Our “Message Board” format now is much like many other car clubs, such as AACA.  Yes, it is different but using it is the best way to become more familiar and comfortable in the new Message Board/Forum.

We will be happy to address your specific issues if you would like to forward them to us at  [email protected]

Sincerely,

Website Management Committee
Jane Barclay, Chairman
Rich Lange
Liz Horne
George Crane

 

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Jim,

I am just grousing!

Peter

 

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

I am as stodgy as the next old car guy and dread updates that change the interface, however sometimes it is well worth it. I was frustrated at first with navigating the new format, but it is well done and really just a matter of using it enough. I don’t think there is a website out there that just works the way everyone thinks it should. I remember all the complaints about the shortcomings of the old website. The posts yesterday about not getting a hit on a key word search is a good example. You have to understand that these things are incredibly complicated and don’t just magically work. I have just as much challenge doing key word searches on huge professional sites like the National Archives and the NASA technical information server, not to mention ebay. The amazing thing is that it is actually there and does work if you put a bit of effort into it. Not so long ago the process for finding PAS service bullitens was to pour through multiple years of indexes and then sending a check via snail mail to Bernie Weiss to get hard copies a few days later of what you hoped might be relevant. That system in its day was far better than other clubs at the time.
My one suggestion for the site would be to shift the recent activity listing on the mobile app forum to the top above the categorized listings. Not a big deal, means I have to spend an extra 2 seconds scrolling down.
Thanks again for the great work.
Jim

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Hi James Chase!

Glad to hear that you’re using the Publications Search Tool!  Several volunteers put in many hours to convert the old 90 page paper Service Bulletin Index into a true relational database that works within the new website.

At the time of the conversion this Spring, 6422 Service Bulletin articles were indexed by Subject i.e. “Body”, “Chassis”, “Drive Train” etc., as well as Model, Cylinders, Year and a “wildcard” aka Keyword.

For those unfamiliar with this new feature, here is a screen shot of the Subject drop down menu.  This is a good place to start, then add your Model (next screen shot) or Year or Keyword

 

Here is a screen shot of the “Model” selection drop down menu.

It takes a little practice because the database is much more than a simple keyword search.  One suggestion is to remember that “less is more” when setting up a query – the least amount of parameters will result in the most results.  Then you can start filtering it down from there adding more parameters one at a time that distills it down to your choice of how many results you want to go through then by hand.

Then, of course, click on the article’s title and – Abracadabra! – there is a searchable PDF file of the exact edition with the information you’re looking for right in front of you ready to read or even print to take to the garage and get that Pierce-Arrow fixed!

Look for some info on using this helpful feature soon.  We’ve been refining it ever since the website’s launch.  It’s been a huge project but the data conversion and preservation and easy access is what the Pierce-Arrow Society is all about – I-N-F-O-R-M-A-T-I-O-N!

Stay tuned!

[Author]

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