Telegram Group Chat

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TomOrley
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2020 5:23 am
Location: tanzania

Sun Nov 01, 2020 2:31 am

Hey everyone. I've set up a Telegram channel and group chat:

Channel - @teaandware
Discussion - @teaandwaregroup

Just search this in the Telegram chat app and it will appear. (Nothing in the channel yet but please sub, I'll be highlighting cool stuff shared in the group, articles, and so on.)

I look forward to sharing and and learning with you all!
Last edited by TomOrley on Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:51 am, edited 3 times in total.
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cbrace
Posts: 54
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:00 am
Location: Amsterdam

Sun Nov 01, 2020 7:50 am

What exactly would be the advantage of using Telegram for discussions instead of this forum? I for one see no obvious benefits.
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StoneLadle
Posts: 347
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2020 12:19 am
Location: Malaysia

Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:05 am

cbrace wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 7:50 am
What exactly would be the advantage of using Telegram for discussions instead of this forum? I for one see no obvious benefits.
ditto
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Maerskian
Posts: 110
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2019 11:41 pm
Location: Atlantis

Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:07 am

cbrace wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 7:50 am
What exactly would be the advantage of using Telegram for discussions instead of this forum? I for one see no obvious benefits.
Each options comes with its own pros & cons. I don't use Telegram ( nor Whatsapp, Signal or similar ) but i see it's widely used for an added layer of privacy or even exclusivity on some particular cases and i guess... a feeling of a more "direct" interaction. It's just a tool and its particular characteristics can be used for a greater good... although it has the potential of hiding dark intentions too ... like any other tool.

EDIT: just in case will add some practical example. Some people just like to keep their finds private. Not saying it's ethical or good... but it's know that groups of people sharing particularly nice deals exist, whether it is on taobao or some lesser known store. This has been common within all kind of collector communities for decades, such information is used as some kind of "currency" and of course used as such. Private Telegram groups would probable be used with such purpose in mind.

Nowadays we have more choices that caters to different audiences that would rather communicate in different ways. More options is good, although people from social media with a tendency to tweet-post & run tend to swarm places prone to more in-depth discussion ( or just lengthier than it's the norm on socials nowadays ), tea subreddits are usually a fine example of the latter.

Then you have Discord ( or new-era IRC ) tea-communities, with some very active and always interesting to keep an eye on ( like the Tea-Community which has been a HUGE help on my herculean blind-buying venture ) ... although it becomes too demanding for me ( it's just the nature of that medium, not that it's a bad thing ) but i can see why it might be one of the best options for people that want to see movement & interact 24/7/365 .

I'm fine with traditional "old school" forums like this one, feels like home and suits my otherwise slow pace anyways .
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StoneLadle
Posts: 347
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2020 12:19 am
Location: Malaysia

Sun Nov 01, 2020 10:12 am

Yea better to keep it simple... The phone sucks as it is man, everything tied to it, don't want tea to be tied neither...
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Victoria
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Location: Santa Monica, CA
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Sun Nov 01, 2020 1:59 pm

TeaForum also has a Discord chat that is somewhat active. You can join; upper right of our page/ Chat.
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pedant
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Sun Nov 01, 2020 2:49 pm

Maerskian wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:07 am
cbrace wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 7:50 am
What exactly would be the advantage of using Telegram for discussions instead of this forum? I for one see no obvious benefits.
Each options comes with its own pros & cons. I don't use Telegram ( nor Whatsapp, Signal or similar ) but i see it's widely used for an added layer of privacy or even exclusivity on some particular cases and i guess... a feeling of a more "direct" interaction. It's just a tool and its particular characteristics can be used for a greater good... although it has the potential of hiding dark intentions too ... like any other tool.
i see what you're saying, but you can already communicate privately via PM on the forum and on the discord chat, right?

for all of telegram's privacy claims, they suffer from a major flaw: you have to provide a telephone number, and IIRC your telephone number is exposed by default to users you add to your contacts. signal (another service) is just as bad or worse in that regard -- your phone number is your username (although this might be changing?), but i trust the strength of their software way more.

imo the main advantage of TomOrley's telegram group is for people who are already using telegram and just enjoy using that service. a lot of people use telegram.
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Maerskian
Posts: 110
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2019 11:41 pm
Location: Atlantis

Sun Nov 01, 2020 5:41 pm

pedant wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 2:49 pm
Maerskian wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:07 am
cbrace wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 7:50 am
What exactly would be the advantage of using Telegram for discussions instead of this forum? I for one see no obvious benefits.
Each options comes with its own pros & cons. I don't use Telegram ( nor Whatsapp, Signal or similar ) but i see it's widely used for an added layer of privacy or even exclusivity on some particular cases and i guess... a feeling of a more "direct" interaction. It's just a tool and its particular characteristics can be used for a greater good... although it has the potential of hiding dark intentions too ... like any other tool.
i see what you're saying, but you can already communicate privately via PM on the forum and on the discord chat, right?

for all of telegram's privacy claims, they suffer from a major flaw: you have to provide a telephone number, and IIRC your telephone number is exposed by default to users you add to your contacts. signal (another service) is just as bad or worse in that regard -- your phone number is your username (although this might be changing?), but i trust the strength of their software way more.

imo the main advantage of TomOrley's telegram group is for people who are already using telegram and just enjoy using that service. a lot of people use telegram.
I had your very last line on my mind the moment i was writing my earlier message but apparently remained back there ( must confess it happens more often than i'd like to admit ) :D , of course i absolutely agree, thanks for your message.

I don't even own a smartphone myself and still have an old Nokia around for emergencies only. Not that i don't understand how terribly convenient smartphones can be, fortunately i can live without one ( for the time being; this year might even change that ) .
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Maerskian
Posts: 110
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Location: Atlantis

Sun Nov 01, 2020 5:50 pm

StoneLadle wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 10:12 am
Yea better to keep it simple... The phone sucks as it is man, everything tied to it, don't want tea to be tied neither...
The now famous KIS philosophy ( i know it's KISS ... but funny enough the second "S" is form over function going against the core message & unnecessarily insulting ) and i absolutely agree with it.

Once again: fortunately i still can work using a traditional desktop computer which i see as the most proactive way to keep my digital/physical world separate; i'm either "here" inside or i am not. It might be just my impression but even the earlier phones - not to mention smartphones - always made me feel like a metaphor of a firefighter 24/7/365 ready for duty . I love being able to break completely from one place or another, go for a long run without a phone, walk around nature with no electronic devices of any kind on it... matter of fact i don't even own a watch ( besides the one i use for running every once in a while when i do need to control my time ) .

Likewise, when i'm having tea it's all about it and nothing else. If i'm with other people we all agree that any issue, trouble or negativity must be kept outside the tea session, same for any meal of the day... otherwise i'd rather not have tea nor food .
TomOrley
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2020 5:23 am
Location: tanzania

Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:57 am

Yes I figured a more direct interaction format would be great.

Discourse and understanding can be catalyzed by a healthy exchange like a discussion in-person.

Also, for things that aren't worth making an entire post about. Like, no one wants to see a forum clogged with "should I buy this thrift teapot" type of posts as well. A chat is good for that, as well as more reflexive discourse.

I myself am a member of many terrific group chats on telegram.

I am definitely gonna check out the discord, but yeah I am much more used to telegram, privacy aside, pound for pound, it's just the best messaging app there is in terms of features, especially for group chats and channels!

Oh and it is cross-platform as well.
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StoneLadle
Posts: 347
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2020 12:19 am
Location: Malaysia

Mon Nov 02, 2020 7:05 am

Sure but it's just bad form to pull people from one to another. Kinda like bad faith.

We like the format here. It's fine. You don't, you don't have to be here, and I speak for myself only...
John_B
Posts: 186
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2017 4:42 am
Location: Bangkok
Contact:

Fri Dec 11, 2020 1:19 am

Interesting subject, and one I'm finishing a blog post on. As for typical online discussion, making contacts, and messaging this forum or Facebook groups or wherever else all seem about the same. It's more about "local culture" than functionality, it seems to me.

Maybe it should be a separate post, but I'd like to find out if there are novel options for a different kind of group exchange for a blog post I'm finishing. A contact mentioned that the Topia app works for that, but it's only available in a Windows version, and they restrict software downloads on my work laptop. I'm not going to put that on the desktop at home my son uses for games, and in theory to do schoolwork on.

It's hard to be clearer about what I mean. Very informal versions of seminars might connect people, the kind Tealet posts often enough. But then that still seems mostly one-way, not so different than some kind of video stream post, which isn't so different than a live version of video blog. Zoom group calls is a next level of connecting, but without some central group you would need to make the connection on your own.

I'm probably fine for having plenty of existing contact myself. I greatly appreciate doing video calls with a small group of tea friends and beyond that talking through text here or in groups is plenty. Looking into this is about writing about it, and if things go differently than they ever seem to related to helping others.
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Iizuki
Posts: 78
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:23 am

Sat Dec 12, 2020 11:06 am

I see chats as a nice addition to a forum. There are many platforms to do this and imo Telegram is among the better ones. At least the clients are open source. Signal has open server-side too. Discord is propertiary, and has facebook-tier privacy.

Maybe I'll give your telegram group a try!
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