There are several ways of discussing plants on the internet. Some are
easier to use than others, but all have some disadvantages.

The newest are on social media sites, like Facebook. I find these are
mainly collections of photos, which are good, except many of them are not
identified, and there is usually very little discussion. I want
information.

PBS is currently using what is called a Listserv. Messages are sent to a
central location which then forwards them to all members. This requires
little work - messages arrive automatically in your computer’s mail
program. The difficulties are: sometimes the service provider refuses to
send the message on to members. This can be for several reasons - the
service provider decides that the message is unacceptable (perhaps the
plant being discussed is not included in the dictionary they use), or the
user has filled his mailbox beyond what he has paid for. Another problem
is the difficulty in sending photos. I experience this - my computer
automatically includes my photos within any message I send, and the PBS
List won’t accept those messages.

The way I like to discuss plants and share photos online is on a web-based
Forum, as Uli mentioned. My favourite one is also that of the Scottish
Rock Garden Club. It is a bit more work as messages don’t automatically
arrive in my mail, so I have to remember to log on. Once online, I can
choose to read messages in various categories, like Flowers and Foliage
Now, Bulbs General, Pleione and Orchidaeae, Amaryllidaceae, Grow from
Seed, Travel and Places to Visit, etc.
I usually go straight to Recent Unread Topics. The Forum remembers what I
have already read, and I can skim down the list of new messages and choose
which I want to read. I can also easily go back to the beginning of a
discussion, perhaps begun several years ago, and then read all the relevant
messages.

One needs to be a member to post messages, and it is very easy to post
photographs. One can even choose where one wants the photo placed within
the message.

One does not need to be a member to read messages, though there is
sometimes a private area just for members.

Take a look at the Scottish Forum to see what it looks like:

https://srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php/… <
https://srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php/…>

I look forward to PBS having a forum similar to that of the Scottish one.

Diane

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