Known as "The King of PC Answer People," Don Watkins has provided PC users with answers to their most pressing questions since 1984. Last year he was rewarded with the Dvorak Telecommunications Award for Lifetime Achievement for a decade of patient, consistent work in computer communications.
After a career in banking in the 1970s, Watkins began to develop software. He participated in the development of the first CompuServe navigation program for the PC, and continued his involvement with CompuServe by forming the first user group for PC users. Watkins recounts that the greatest challenge has been the continually changing face of the PC. "We have multiple operating system platforms and every brand and configuration of computer imaginable, so the real challenge is to try to get a handle on the all those platforms and all those operating to environments and levels of experience with members," says Watkins.
Members trust PCNet to provide useful, up-to-date information of the highest quality, which is one of the hallmarks of the forum. "We monitor uploads very closely from a number of perspectives. Copyright -- although most of our files come directly from the authors -- is a priority. We also want to make sure a file is accurately described and in the right category so that members can find what they're looking for without a lot of searching around."
Watkins and his staff also work to ensure that the files can be installed on as many machine configurationsas possible. "We found that as things become more complex, installation programs become one of the more fragile aspects. And, of course, it has to work right -- while we can't test absolutely every feature, we do want to make sure that we test as much as we possibly can and that all the advertised features work," says Watkins.
The issue of viruses is upper-most among the concerns in PCNet uploads. "We do get a lot of uploads from virus-conscious members. We insure to the best of our abilities that those files have been checked and are absolutely clean," says Watkins.
The input from and response to members is a large part of the continued success of the PCNet forums. "While it is not possible to be all things to all people, the forums try to be responsive. I think that some of the recent development, like the library catalogues in the Windows help format, is a perfect example of addressing requests from members that are looking for something just a little bit different from our traditional catalogues." Watkins cites the top downloads lists as another example. "We keep a list updated monthly of the top downloads for the forum to let members really zero in on what is popular with other members."
