Re: [libreoffice-website] Re: [libreoffice-website] Working with mailing lists

On 2011-02-01 4:50 AM, Dr. Bernhard Dippold wrote:
> With appropriate filters and threading in a modern mail client (like
> Thunederbird) most of the advantages of a forum can be egalized by a 
> mailing list.

This is simply not true.

For one, most 'users' don't have a clue what you are even talking about.

Second, when a new user signs up, they cannot see PREVIOUS messages/threads.

On 2011-02-01 5:17 AM, Stefan Weigel wrote:
> Moreover, as a subscriber to mailing lists, you handle all the
> messages through one single user interface (your mail client), even
> when you take part in many different projects. Whereas a forum user
> would have to visit several locations in the web in order to check
> and see new messages, that are of interest.

Not if there is only one official support forum - they would only have
to visit the one forum. But more importantly, any forum worth its salt
has options for email notifications when messages are posted to
subscribed threads - I know, I use this feature all the time and value
it highly - so, all someone needs to do is subscribe to all of the main
forum topics, and you now get email notifications of all forum postings.
This could be made very easy by simply creating a special 'subscribe'
page where the user could subscribe to all forum topics, or only select
topics, and enable email notifications (again for some or all).

Also, Michael had mentioned that the email lists and forums could all be
integrated using Drupal, so that the email lists were essentially
'archived' at the forums, and forum posts were emailed to the
appropriate email list. This one single capability is an overwhelming -
imnsho - argument in favor of using Drupal as the support backbone. This
way a user can choose their method of participation.

For *official* decision making processes, forums, or some other kind of
centralized, managed medium should be required to be used, so anyone can
see the entire thread/decision making process from start to finish - no
questions of who said what when, or who the participants are (anyone can
click on anyone else's username to see their profile, and official
representatives should be required to keep their user profile up to date
and complete) - its all there for all to see.

There is simply no good reason to hold onto a 10 year old way of doing
things - ie, using email lists for official communication and decision
making channels - when better ways are available. The only reason -
albeit not a good one - is resistance to change.

Citing *Usenet* as a source for the rules you are defending to keep
using? Please... usenet is dead, long live usenet. And yes, I'm kidding,
but no, I'm not. One of OOo's biggest drawbacks has been its antiquated
support system... please, people, lets modernize this system and bring
it into the 21st century.

I'm certainly not saying we shouldn't have/use mailing lists - they
absolutely have their place. But they should not be the *official*
*primary* mode of support. Leverage volunteers to scavenge the email
lists, who can then convert real issues into meaningful bug reports,
feature requests and document formatting issues that can then be tracked
and (hopefully) fixed.

-- 

Best regards,

Charles

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