PROBLEMS WITH THIS (NAS) FORUM - February 2018

) ( said:

This web resource is given by the National Autistic Society, it is a charity run concern if I understand it correctly, my views are not necessarily fact, my assumptions may very well be wrong but the NAS is part funded or supported by the government as the top resource for autism

Just to note that the National Autistic Society is indeed a charity, and runs this site. However, it's not really correct to say that the charity is funded by the government as a resource for autism. There is income from statutory bodies as fees for places at our schools and services, and charities sometimes receive support for specific, agreed projects, but in general, services such as this Community, and those in the next paragraph, are funded by donations and other giving.

Regarding age ranges, the page to which I have linked describes our services for adults as well as for young people. Alongside this Community, our information and advice also covers adults as well as young people, and our campaigning again addresses the full age range, as does our support for professionals in working with autistic people. We do necessarily charge the professionals' employer bodies for that last support, but that's made clear on the relevant Web pages.

The annual report is also available on the main WWW site.

Hope this helps.

GREAT POST, there.

By Gadfrey, that was a great Post....

If only there was a Proper Place for such Posts as that. 

I am totally *Not* joking when I say this.

(...Now I do not know what else to say here, as yet. All I can prefer is that NAS does read that in the morning...)

Hi DC nice to catch up,

 I am sure we are all extremely grateful for this resource which is free to us to use.

 This web resource is given by the National Autistic Society, it is a charity run concern if I understand it correctly, my views are not necessarily fact, my assumptions may very well be wrong but the NAS is part funded or supported by the government as the top resource for autism,

Yes they are primarily focused on younger people with autism, but are we not as important in that what we offer is so very useful to give understanding not only of how we cope but how we fail, we have lived it, we know the wrongs we have had to live with, if we were denied a resource such as this then much would be never heard, 

 no one wants to direct funds away from the young, but there will always be a share out of available resources, it matters not what good cause it is for, funding is short across the board, Society has lost its way somewhat, we think it ok to pay millions to one man who can kick a football, we spend millions on unimportant things all the time, 

this is not intended to be a political rant, every government has failed it’s people, 

I think you should continue to ask for things that can improve this site, we have had little to no support as older autistics, not the fault of NAS , just that it was never really high on the agenda for needing any help.

I often sound angry at how things fail in here, well I get annoyed, Instability is the last thing I want, 

I enjoy my time here amongst like minded folks, it gives me confidence to be myself. To talk about my issues without being judged, 

The things you ask for are not excessive, the better this forum is the more people  will feel comfortable being here and that promotes more members.

 People come here after being referred to it for help and guidance, that’s how valued it is, old and young alike.

 we all add to the greater understanding of autism and how it effects us in our daily struggles,

 long may it continue, and WebPM I apologise again, I do get frustrated, I try not to, but when things go wrong I feel it is partly due to my inadequacies.

I have led a life of much denial and much misunderstanding, it is a hard shell to shake off.

x()x

...What I meant to say was, sort of, that, insofar as Financial Constraints, then... that fairly puts a Corker upon many suggestions offered by either myself or others... I think...?

WebPM said:

In an ideal world, I think we'd have a forum for user issues. However, on this version of the package, we have only five forums in total. A future upgrade is possible, but there would be implications for the charity's budget.

...EEEEEK!?!

...Sorry, Typo.

WebPM said:

If there is a specific thread (as there are e.g. for pictures, messages and email notifications), I suggest that posting there is more helpful to others because it's easier to understand. In the same way, if another substantial issue develops, I suggest that a separate thread for that may be useful.

This is an approach I have long supported. Hopefully, this current thread illustrates that it is the only sensible approach.

WebPM said:

Generally, a Community will develop its own ethos as to when a new thread is needed, and senior members will suggest starting one when someone asks a related, but separate, question.

In my experience a member of this community suggesting a new thread is started is not well received.

) ( said:

Also I have had no email alerts since 28:02:2018.

Because there is a separate thread on email alerts, I have replied there. The advantage of a separate thread is that it's easier to find for anyone else who may have a separate issue. I don't think there's any forum that has an ideal solution on this. However, I am regarding this current (forum problems) thread as being an overview, intended for looking at the situation as a whole. If there is a specific thread (as there are e.g. for pictures, messages and email notifications), I suggest that posting there is more helpful to others because it's easier to understand. In the same way, if another substantial issue develops, I suggest that a separate thread for that may be useful.

One of the issues we've had here is in understanding the discussions in complex threads. My experience of a number of different forum packages is that none work well if several conversations are going on at the same time, in the same thread. Generally, a Community will develop its own ethos as to when a new thread is needed, and senior members will suggest starting one when someone asks a related, but separate, question. These are my suggestions, but it is for you all to develop the way of working.

In an ideal world, I think we'd have a forum for user issues. However, on this version of the package, we have only five forums in total. A future upgrade is possible, but there would be implications for the charity's budget. Where I think the forum is valuable is when I look at all the other questions that are being asked in parallel to these discussions, and the way that they are answered. Many who post in this and related threads are involved in helping others by answering those posts.

... I wrote a longer reply as this last was typed up. Thanks for continued support. WebPM may read all of this later...

And now another reply again!

Good Fortune and Fair Play. (Kind thoughts are reciprocated at your sign offs.)

No worries, glad I could be of use..

 Thank you for being you.

take care and sleep well and soundly.

x()x

The very fact there are now four separate threads pointing out variouse issues with  this forum is proof enough things need looking into as to just what kind of service is being offered,?

Yes! Finally, I saw it show as "a few seconds ago from Lone Warrior", as I was watching for it! Thank You for your cooperation, there, Sir. I took a picture at the time (a couple of minutes ago), and so Thank You again for that. I may do something with it yet, it being late and all there is another thing...

I cannot be as quick with posting pictures as yourself, I think: I must take pictures from my device, laptop them, shrink, flatten, etc. them, then put them back onto this device (EReader). That takes time. A lot of it...

Thus, again I write Thanks, and say, if you are tired or whatever *just now* then feel free to quit for now. I am uncertain of what I may (be able to) do next, and so do not wait for it too much.

I do not stay on long, frustrating, yes, even for myself. I cannot say much more, just here and now, yet Thank You again.

:-D 

This thread maybe?

Did not pan downwards or just did not see this last message from your good self, Sir... I spot it now and "like" it. This is the link to the Thread which WebPM began which I can see and cannot yet see...(!!!)

http://community.autism.org.uk/f/miscellaneous-and-chat/12022/disappearing-messages-from-the-photography-and-pictures-thread

Click upon WebPMs pink words in his reply, and I do not mind what is written, I only want to see if that makes it show up in my "Recent Threads" section. Thank You kindly.

I also ask if YOU can see it? It is called something like "Disappearing Posts???" with question marks.

If you mean the picture thread I just have, I may have posted it in the wrong place?

getting a bit fed up with following things,

I am always only to pleased to have exchange with you DC, 

It is nice to know I am not alone.

well it is fairly late evening,,,,!

x()x

Um, Thank You and glad for yourself being here, yet I am not certain as to why these pictures are posted...

Yet if you are game - despite it being late and myself tiring - would you care to post something upon WebPMs new Thread? I want to know if I can see it then and edit the title maybe (I shall write EDIT) if I do...?

Slight time difference is because it took me two minutes to reply and the second captured image is live when took.

x()x

Screen captured image of recent/ latestvreplies,

To Webster... Please check the HOURS parts stated in the Pictures I Posted: "11 Hours Ago", in the History, yet between 9, 10, 12 Hours Ago, in the Recent Threads. Even as I Post this, I still do not see it listed in the Recent Posts part. 

For this reason, I am still Posting *here*. Until someone else - Not WebPM - posts into that other Thread, I cannot see it and I wait to see if someone else makes it appear thay way rather than myself. I also agree with Mr. LoneWarrior saying that doing this was a bit of a confusion. (I suppose doing what was done is good, but, well, "sudden change" and Autiism and all...)

So this thread is an attempt too highlight various issues with the NAS forum.

As pointed out by Disallowed Cynosure there was a main thread for ANY issues with using the forum, NAS did not seem to want to be pro active and start a new thread so it was left up to one of us to do it,,,,,despite being requested variouse times.

 So move different comments about, put them into various new areas, it may just add confusion as each one may not sit well out of context with  replies that were amongst them originally.

text copied from DC,

Here is the "Main" Thread, at which Comments directly to NAS are supposed to be Posted... yet much of it is completely ignored by NAS; It is only responded to by "WebPM", but for whom NAS would not have this "Forum" in the first place, I would wager...
community.autism.org.uk/.../online-community---comments-improvements-and-feedback”.

Much love to all.

x()x.