As a member of TeamSybase, I have been active in the newsgroup community for quite some time. At my last job, however, I had no access to the newsgroups. I became frustrated with needing answers and not being able to find them. I was frustrated in knowing that people needed help-- help that I was capable of giving-- but not being free to provide that help. And I realized that I was not alone.

The Sybase newsgroups host a community, but for a community, the NNTP protocol is severely lacking. Posting a question is nothing like reviewing a blog, searching discussions, and learning about the people that sit behind the posts... all in one place.

I know that I'm not the only one that wishes to expand the user-support community. Sybase, itself, is looking at enhancing their community support. This site is simply a "proof-of-concept" or a test-bed for some of the alternatives that Sybase may consider. If I can do this and it gains acceptance, I can present it to Sybase and say, "Here, try something like this." At the same time, however, I hope to provide a richer and more rewarding experience to those that need help with the PowerBuilder coding.