Why isn't automators here?

Why is free agents here but automators in a sperate forum? It’s confusing jumping back and forth. I’d rather have one place to go rather than two. We also have the workflow category here. Confusing.

7 Likes

I totally agree!!! i think it would complement this forum, and save us from switching back and forth all the time.

1 Like

Totally get they’re two separate podcasts and Automators will grow itself a lot as time goes by as hopefully there’ll be automation topics covered in there which are outside of the Apple world or system agnostic (windows, NAS, zappier/IFTTT, etc) … but have had this same question for a while now :rofl:

My biggest dilemma is were to post workflow questions. Here, there, both? :grinning:

2 Likes

I suspect that there are many people who frequent both.

If you know about Automators, then I’d suggest posting an automation through workflow question there. If it is workflow related but not really an automation question, post in MPU. If you only know about one and not the other … then it wouldn’t be a problem.

I personally wouldn’t post in both unless you reach a point in one forum where you can’t get any further and feel it is worth raising there instead … perhaps with a cross reference to say “I originally posted this on …”.

1 Like

I thought I’d heard reference that Free Agents wasn’t currently sizable to warrant its own seperate Discourse forum at this time and so was given a home at MPU. But thn given that Automators is brand new the same logic could be applied there too :astonished:

I would think the ideal woud be separate forums for each. Not everyone who listens to one podcast will listen to the other two.

In terms of Automators not being suited to living in at MPU, my interpretation is that MPU is focussed on Apple and Automators is focussed on automation. As @AFC mentioned there’s the potential there for platforms outside of the Apple-verse and the forum certainly has a few bits in there for non-Mac/iOS already. Similarly not everyone who is an MPU listener might be that deep in on automation. The MPU forum already has a massive throughput that’s pretty hard to keep up on and still have a day job, family, etc. Bundling all the things that could potentally ome up even just around Apple based automation as the podcast builds momentum and more discussion … well it would be a full time job just to try and keep up.

Whilst I think following categories and tags would help, I think for new joiners trying to keep everything as distinct as possible is best, though cross referencing like you would to any other Internet resource I think should be encouraged and would only serve to strengthen all of the communities.

1 Like

I agree with all that you’ve said. And I think that there’s where we’re going towards. However, at the moment (and given how new the Automators podcast is) is more likely to get a quicker/diverse response here than there, and as you said most of the folks might even be the same (for now)…so it’s tempting to post these Qs here. However posting them in here, will drive the questions (ie topics and discussion around them) away from the Automators which focus is, well…automation.

So that’s the kind of dilemma I have (I know, first world problems!! :grinning: )…

Also, agree with you that posting on both is not an option.

Automators focus is automation but somehow I doubt they will be focusing on Windows or Linux in a substantial way. Pretty sure that focus (at least most of it) will be Mac and iOS. If that is the case, I feel the Automators forum should be right here.

May be. However an specific forum in automation is easier to navigate and connected to its own podcast. I am happy with the two forums :grinning:

Is there a separate forum for automator?

3 Likes

+1 for me. It would be better to have it all available in the same forum.

1 Like

Since the aim is clearly not to have Automators as a solely Apple eco system offering and it is a separate podcast, I see nothing to warrant it being included here.

The only way including it would make sense is if this was a Relay FM wide or David Sparks’ podcasts based forum.

Personally I would prefer to see Free Agents move to its own forum, but honestly as it isn’t something of particular interest to me I simply don’t pay attention to that category.

2 Likes