Some suggestions for the Forum

[art297]

:  I'm posting this here as we don't have a way (that I'm aware of) to see what was posted in the "suggestions" forum.  Similarly, we don't have a way (that I'm aware of) to see just those posts that were posted in the general SAS Support Communities.  My recommendation is that we add the suggestion forum to the list as well as create a new one, namely "SAS Support Communities-General Discussion".  I don't see the purpose of letting people post in areas that will only be seen when they are initially posted.

Similarly, in the instructions at the top right part of the main screen, tell people to add a discussion by clicking on the "Action" box.  The only way that I know how to start a discussion is by clicking on the "Create" icon.

However, the main reason I decided to write was that, this morning, we had a job posting in the general SAS Support Communities.  I'm all in favor of our having job postings, but shouldn't they have a separate forum (e.g., Job Postings/Discussions)?

[art297]

Okay, so I finally noticed that there really is an "action" box.  But my other suggestions, I think, are still relevant.

[Rick_SAS]

My biggest pet peeve is that when people click "Create a discussion from the main overview page (https://communities.sas.com/community/support-communities) it creates the discussion in "SAS Support Communitites." We need some way to prompt/encourage people to post to the correct sub-group: Base, Stat, JMP, etc.  It seems seems to me that this forum should be used for general discussions ABOUT the forum, rather than as a default place to ask questions.

It's not clear to me whether "uncategorized" questions should be sent to "SAS Macro Facility, Data Step and SAS Language Elements" or somewhere else.  It would be interesting to categorize the most recent 100 questions to this forum and see where most questions belong.

[LainieH]

Hi and . Thanks for your note and suggestions. Renee is back in the office tomorrow (Tuesday) and I'm sure she'll respond. Rick I like your idea about categorizing the most recent 100 questions.

Art, if by suggestions forum you mean SASware Ballot, you can view all here (or in individual forums): https://communities.sas.com/community/support-communities/ballot

I am interested in your suggestions for better ways to display suggestions/ideas, too.

Best, Lainie

[art297]

: Thanks for getting back to us!  No, I wasn't referring to the SASware ballot but, rather, the forum itself.  I've always view the SASware Ballot as a way for us to make suggestions regarding SAS itself.  I typically never use it, though, as my suggestions for software improvement have always been discounted (by SAS staff) as not being necessary.

In the present case, I was simply referring to a category for suggestions for improving the forum (and, of course, another for jobs).

[art297]

Another group we could use: user group meetings.  And, speaking of user group meetings, the quarterly TASS (Toronto Area SAS Society) meeting will be held, this Friday, at the Royal York Hotel's Territories Room (across the street from Union Station).

The details, and link for registering (cost=free) can be found at: Toronto Area SAS Society - December 13 2013