09-20-2008 --- NEW FEATURES FOR
AUTOMATIONDIRECT CUSTOMER FORUM

By Joan Welty
AutomationDirect
Director of Marketing
________________________________________

Since its introduction in 1999 as part of the primary Web site, the AutomationDirect Customer Forum (http://forum.automationdirect.com) has emerged as a valuable resource for automation professionals to explore application ideas, share knowledge, and solve problems. There have been over 5,000 threads containing over 24,000 posts on topics ranging from PLC programming to motion integration. Feedback from the forum has also played a direct role in the development of new and enhanced products.

AutomationDirect recently moved the forum to a much more modern and robust software platform. In the transition, we were able to preserve and import all user accounts and posts from the old forum, and the look and feel should be familiar to anyone who has visited the forum in the past.

Customers who have experience with other popular industry forums will probably recognize several of the
new features:
• Attachments - participants can now share everything from screenshots to programs. Sometimes a simple picture says it all.
• Thread and forum subscriptions - receive notification if a thread you're watching is updated.
• Messaging - communicate privately with other participants.
• Customization - view by threads or topics. Add avatars, conduct polls, and have much more control over how you use the forum.

We welcome all feedback and suggestions for future improvements to the forum. If you have an idea – just post it!

In addition to the Customer Forum, there are many other online resources available from AutomationDirect that that support specific products as well as offer general industry information. These include:

http://support.automationdirect.com
Contains FAQs, demo programs, firmware and software updates/downloads, product manuals (PDF downloads), example programs, application stories

www.automationnotebook.com
AutomationDirect's online technical magazine (also
available for FREE hard copy subscription)

http://learn.automationdirect.com
Online streaming tutorial site offering training and
information on a wide range of automation products. [Flash plug-in required]

www.automationtalk.com
Live and pre-recorded seminars on AutomationDirect hardware and software products, from product overviews to PLC programming