We can't support every platform. For example postal players have a worst
service than email players.
Agreed, but 'have email' is a nice generic requirement that players can meet in whatever of many ways suits them best. 'Run Windows' is a bit more specific 
MEOW will deal with most platforms - specifically being designed for
such. (I'll update you with that information in a later email).
Excellent, I'll wait to see the details.
In the same way we need to streamline things here. Automating turn entry
will keep costs down.Do players agree that an automated system of turn entry (ie one that takes
us less work) is preferable?
Of course. To be honest, I was pretty amazed to find out you were doing manual entry from emails at all - certainly can't blame you for wanting to get rid of that!
If so - how do we encourage players to use it compared with us inputting
the orders by hand? (We send an autoreceipt for email turns for example,
but postal and fax players don't get that "service").What's the answer?
I don't think people use email just for the acknowledgement service It's more convenient than post - if the order entry program is more convenient still, I believe people will use it.
It really *should* be more convenient - I'm sure noone likes memorizing / looking-up order codes - but if it requires effort or expense in terms of other software to run it, it's not so convenient any more.
My personal view is that you should publish the format needed by the auto-input program (or confirm the one already posted elsewhere). Then people could use your order entry program, write their own software, or even generate the right format by hand, and you win every way.
At that point I believe a price premium for processing 'free-form' text orders is fine, as everyone at least has the opportunity to use the auto-input route. Not that I'd be against an across-the-board price rise anyway, you guys deserve to make a living...
Regards,
Tim.
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Middle Earth PBM Games <me@MiddleEarthGames.com> wrote: