Sorry guys, I've just re-read my message above and I didn't really mean to imply that e-mail updates via here wasn't a good idea but more that a 3rd party solution shouldn't be necessary and certainly wouldn't be if PN did the job properly for once. It is in many ways admirable that someone outside of PN has taken this on but finding a way around the short-comings of PN might well be a solution for some users (i.e. those registered here) but it still leaves perhaps the vast majority of users without the relevant information and PN doing nothing whatsoever to address the relatively simple issue of poor or generally unreliable communications.
It is PN's responsibility, IMHO, to ensure that users have access to relevant service status and other announcements by an appropriate and reliable means. The portal, usenet and I guess the Metronet page are already in use to one extent or another but bearing in mind a service status post generally means something is wrong and parts of the system may well be inaccessible then the provision of an optional e-mail update to a secondary address would be a very sensible if not essential addition to the current channels. Obviously there is no guarantee that all these services will be available when a problem occurs but issuing updates via all sensible options at least provides the best chance of information being available to users one way or another.
However, my main point was (and still is) that it is MOST important that all official channels provide the same information and are updated in a relevant and timely manner. I do not believe this is always the case. In fact I KNOW this is not always the case ! Also, repeated postings of the same info is not really in any way helpful other than to perhaps indicate their is still life (but maybe not as we know it
) in PN Towers. I personally find the portal a PITA for most things and only ever use it as a last resort. I pick up usenet messages more for historic reasons than anything else but I would certainly welcome an e-mail option otherwise.
Regarding dubious updates, particularly to usenet, I note that this is STILL happening despite repeated comments on the subject and receiving no answers as to why. This morning I received service status updates dated around 20:00 and later yesterday which most definitely weren't there very early this morning. I also note there are currently updates on the portal dated this morning which are STILL not on usenet (i.e. the 9AM update). What exactly is the problem here ? Is it *really* that difficult for PN to ensure that customers can receive relevant updates via the appropriate official channels ? I've no idea what the system used actually is but I do know that I would have script or whatever automatically copying/routing the same message to the portal, usenet, e-mail subscribers etc. rather than relying on someone just maybe remembering to post the same(ish) message manually in all relevant places. It's not exactly difficult is it !
BTW, I'm also fully aware that a post to virtually any NG generally appears (on PN servers) within a few seconds so I don't expect to be told the *problem* is simply one of expected delays rather than what clearly appears to be PN just not getting their act together
