Thank you for your post and for clarifying things. I am not the least bit upset by anything you said. In fact, I would like to thank you for starting this thread and keeping it running. I agree with 90% of what you are saying.
I, too, would like to see AC remain solvent. I just don't see my role in that the same way you do. I think the more that buy the software the better, but I just don't think I/We should shoulder that burden. By that, I don't mean not help. I can't help but bring people to AC, because I simply try to help so much. It just is not a mindset.
I guess I feel differently about things because my perspective is different. I have been using AC about as long as anyone. Jon appreciates everything I do, and I feel guilty every time I say something critical. AC is on the precipice of being something great, but I think getting there and staying there are much more likely if Jon and AC do what they need to do than what we do. I should preface this by saying 1) Jon has built the company, and I have written not one line of code and, 2) Jon continues to sell the product. I think this is one of those cases where the company won't necessarily get better by moving straight ahead but maybe changing to the original tenets and core beliefs of a small, efficient and inexpensive EMR. Boston Market is a great example of a fast food chain that nearly went under, because they became successful and then expanded too fast.
What is frustrating to me is that we are supposed to fill the gap where AC has not. I/We have made it known over and over of the little fixes that we as users and doctors, etc. find helpful. We have talked about the letter writer and the ICD-9 codes and other things that have never been changed. I think we could do more to help AC by using it and ALL of us being beta testers everyday so that collectively it continues to be more and more a part of each provider's work flow.
Now, that is not to say that making the board a better place to learn is not a good idea. Many don't know what I can and can't do as a global mod. If I had admin powers, maybe I could do more. Trying to find ways to make the board a better avenue to learning is fine. I guess I chose my side of this issue (not that there is an issue here) when there was talk of having two separate boards. Or ACUC for new users, etc.
Finally, I will (as those who know me know), try to help anyone and everyone. This, by definition, will help new users and prospective users. But, I am not going to mentor someone or spend my nights worrying about doctors who are scared to purchase an EMR or get their feet wet. If I were, I would write a book.
