[wplug-board] wplug phone number

Terence J. Golightly terencejgolightly at gmail.com
Tue Apr 10 22:53:18 EDT 2012


On 04/10/2012 01:29 PM, Pat Barron wrote:
> I had assumed the P-G wanted a phone number as an administrative contact
> (in case they had questions about the announcement itself and needed to
> talk to us for clarification), not that they wanted it for publication.
> 
> I still don't think we should offer phone as a means of contact for
> WPLUG participants (and potential participants), except perhaps as an
> "I'm lost, please give me directions" hotline on meeting days.  I think
> doing so is just asking for potential pain.  Publishing a phone number
> for public use I think creates an expectation that the phone is going to
> be answered when called, I do think it will attract "help desk" calls,
> and I believe that folks who would use the phone in preference to e-mail
> are not likely to really gain much benefit from any interaction with
> WPLUG.  I think it's good for providing a phone contact number to
> entities that WPLUG may do business with (like the bank, the media,
> etc.).  Previous WPLUG boards have also used the Google Voice number for
> outgoing multi-party calls (though none of these seem to be documented
> anywhere, I only know this from talking to Ted Rodgers).
> 
> Of course, I'm only one person on a five person board, and may be more
> cynical than most.  Do any other board members have an opinion (one way
> or the other)?  The only ones taking a position on record so far are
> Michael and me.  Please speak up, whatever your thoughts might be.  If
> nobody else pipes up, Michael, I'd say go ahead and use the number in
> our announcements and such, and we'll see what happens.  We can always
> stop using it and change the number later if it becomes a problem.
> 
> --Pat.
> 
> On 04/10/2012 11:18 AM, Michael Loomis wrote:
>> I know you don't want to have the phone number be abused as a help
>> desk number. On the other hand, what's the point of having a phone
>> number if we never use it? 
>> It cost Google a little money to provide it for us, and we should give
>> the number back if we are adamant about not using it. I hope we can
>> agree to make it public on the Post-Gazette website and expose here on
>> the mailing list archive. You are aware that the Google phone number
>> can act as simply a mailbox and that no one's phone needs to ring? Our
>> greeting can indicate that calls asking for help about Linux will not
>> be returned and suggest looking on line. 
>>
> 
> 
Gang,

As chair, I'd like to give my input.  I think if this is the only way to
get access to the P-G's magazine section then Let's do it.  A simple
voice message regarding the use of this number and that calls to it
regarding meeting information are the only ones returned and that we
check it twice? daily? 7AM and 5pm?  Over night calls and SBD (same
business day) calls.

So I propose we meet on IRC to vote on Thursday say evening 7pm.  If
there are no technical issues and by-law violations.  I also think we
need basic demographic info for each of us.  Just in case one of us
needs to contact another board member.  We did this last year and it was
useful.

Regards,

Terry


> 
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-- 
terencejgolightly at gmail.com



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