Discord Channel Wanted

Just thinking it would be great to have an Official Sienci Discord channel

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We’re pretty spread thin already between official tickets, Facebook, and the Forum. We use Discord internally and I know other companies use them as a sort of Forum - is there some functionality you’d be looking for form the Discord that this Forum isn’t able to offer? Maybe I could look into some other plugins to further extend the functionality of the forum

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My thoughts, you would not need to moderate 24/7 but Discord has become quite popular for Companies and Users alike to support each other.

I still love a good old-fashioned User Forum but there have been a lot of times that using a company’s Discord (HomeAssistant, Bambu Lab, TrueNAS) saved the day due to someone (not an employee) responding in real-time and easily providing video/images to better understand the solution.

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Well not trying to be a smart a%# but eventually for the same reason you guys use it internally.
Discord is more responsive than a traditional forum.
Discord creates a closer community.
Easy to share images, videos or files.
Lots of us don’t use FB.
Not really asking you guys to moderate Discord I realize you’re prolly loaded with lots of new goodies.
I just think it would be nice thang to have.

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Yup completely agree. Traditional forums are hours if not days getting the simplest of answers.
Lots of companies use discord to create and answer tickets now days.

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Hey! My 0.250" bit is cutting too deep! What can I do right now?

Hours to days are plenty good for most of us. After all, this is a user forum. I would guess that time zones range all over the place.

PS. I’m aware that public Discord forums are no better than FB in the privacy arena.

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I agree on discord, that’s how you create a strong community. Anyone can create a discord server tho, it doesn’t have to be official.

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@whitewolf @gmurad @Stratmaster I’m confused as to how a Discord channel is different from this forum. I use a discord channel for one of the applications that I use. As here, the discord channel is populated by users of the same application. They can and do respond to my questions, and it has served me very well. However, those same users could be members of a community forum, and respond to my questions in that venue, too.

@Stratmaster Mike, you mention that answers on forums can take hours or days. That can and has happened to me on the discord channel. The time that it takes to get a reply is completely related to someone being on the channel that can help me. It is the same here. You can ask for help here and get it within minutes if there is someone reading that has the answer.

This forum is available to all members 24/7/365. If you have found that the response time to your questions is not what you would like, surely that is a reflection of the user group and not of the forum itself.

I don’t want this to be argumentative. I am sincerely trying to learn. Since the three of you have said that there are advantages to a discord channel over the forum model, I would like to learn better what those advantages are. So far, with respect, the advantages seem to have more to do with the people populating the discord channel vs the people populating the forum, rather than an inherent advantage to the channel.

Finally, as I understand discord channels, anyone can initiate one. So, again with respect, any of you can create one to get the ball rolling.

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Definitely not meant to be argumentative as this was simply a request or suggestion.

I have the ‘luxury’ of being connected about 75% of any given day and utilize various forms of media/applications to gain or share knowledge.
Forums will, or should, always be a staple in my opinion but as newer option come available, i believe it is a best practice to incorporate them into a company’s offerings. Especially considering that younger generations tend to flock to them.
Sienci’s use of Social Media platforms supports this logic.

Agreed on a user (or anyone) being able to create this themselves. Since I already have a Discord server, I briefly considered adding a channel specifically for Sienci but since my server is focused more on my projects and business, I felt this was poor taste.

If anyone here wants to co-moderate a server. I’d be willing to create a new, ‘unofficial’ Sienci server with channels for the various offerings /categories.

Maybe we should take a poll to guage interest?

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@whitewolf I knew that you were not trying to be argumentative, Corey. :grinning:

I just wanted to be sure that you didn’t believe that I was.

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Well, I’m being a bit argumentative.

What’s the use of spreading the user base out even further than it is?

With FB being the favored “community”, any other brands of forum will only take away from this one that we all have known for years.

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gwilki
I didn’t take it as argumentative at all, and I’m always open to hearing new ideas and feedback.

The suggestion was intended to offer an additional perspective.
Using similar reasoning, one might question the need for both a forum and Facebook presence. Alternatively, we could argue that both community forums and Facebook groups lose relevance when phone support is available.

Each platform serves as a valuable tool within the community,
Discord offers several benefits, including:

Voice and video capabilities
Screen sharing
Real-time engagement
Community management tools
Mobile app integration
Message notifications
File sharing
Bots (e.g., notifications for forum, Facebook, or YouTube updates)
Ticket request system
Polling and surveys

While I acknowledge that not all Discord channels are equally active, I could say the same for most community engagement platforms.

Excitingly awaiting the arrival of my Altmill
Michael.

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As a fellow Texan, I completely understand where you’re coming from.
My suggestion was simply about exploring additional tools that could complement what we already have, rather than replacing it.
Perhaps we could consider phasing out the Facebook platform and focusing on unifying the community here on this forum.
LOL just messing with ya.
I do use FB for other toys I have. Never posted anything, in fact the one thing I would like to use but because FB believes me to be a Troll is Market Place.
Its not a privacy issue for me. Everything follows you now days.
I think the last I checked I had something like 1475 friend request or whatever the kids call it now. That kinda stuff bugs me.
Then there’s the chance my girlfriends meet!!!. LOL just kidding.

Where ya at in Gods Country.
E. Texas here

Michael

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How about we create an unofficial discord? I also find that discord communities are stronger, and I also like the real-time nature of it vs a forum where you can engage and then wait for people to respond.

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I’d be happy to support a group of y’all starting up an unofficial Discord :+1::+1: if you need anything let me know. Perhaps if it takes off then we could make it more official down the road

Thanks for the support Chris! How about:

“Friends of Sienci Labs” ?

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Created a basic server if anyone wants to join. Have no idea what I’m doing, so it’ll be a learn as-we-go kinda thing :slight_smile:

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See you there shortly :slight_smile:


 and don’t call me shortly 
 :smiley:

And don’t call me Shirley.

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I was setting one up but looks like you did a fine job.
If I can helps let me know

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