Re: [libreoffice-website] official forums

On Mon, 2011-11-14 at 15:34 +0100, Alexander Werner wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Am 12.11.2011 um 22:35 schrieb drew:
> > I believe there are pros and cons to type of platform:
> > - the more 'traditional' BBS style 
> > - the tag/rank based platforms, as here
> >
> > and each package within a group
> > - shapedo, stackoverflow, question2answer …
>
> I have setup a stackoverflow-like q&a system on http://osqa-test.libreoffice.org.

Outstanding

> It uses Askbot as platform, simply because the framework it uses is well-known to me and the 
> development is quite fast-paced.
> Everyone feel free to start playing around / start using it, you can login either by creating a 
> local account or using the provided authentication backends.
>
>
> > I really think that the different platform type come at delivery
> > features in rather different ways and maybe cater to somewhat different
> > user types (personas) - specifically a difference between people that
> > prefer to browse for information vs assisted search [assisted here
> > meaning use of a search box] and even then there are difference types of
> > browsing interactions - drill down vs jump to, is how I would name two
> > patterns.
>
> When I look at many active forums with many topics, new users very often ask duplicated and 
> duplicated and duplicated questions, and one of the main answers of moderators is a tutorial on 
> how to use the search function. The ofter problem I observe often is the inability of users to 
> stick to the category layout, so moderators often have to move topics around. And finally long 
> topics often get so confusingly long that the answer to the question is on page 25 of 39.
>
> Thats why I strongly prefer using a rated Q&A system for _problems_ the user has: A Question is 
> asked, if necessary refined and edited. The best answer is voted and selected, and immediately 
> appears after the question.
> Users who work constructively gain points ("karma") and consequently more rights. So the whole 
> thing is a lot more self-sustaining than traditional forums.

Right - I spent a bit of time looking into the specifics on this..I do
like the approach on a number of levels.

> When creating a new question, comparable questions are automatically searched for, so the user 
> sees immediately: There might already be a question similar to mine that has already been 
> answered.
>
> Of course, a Q&A system also has weaknesses, e.g. its layout assumes the structure of questions 
> and answers and not a flow of discussion.

Yes I think there are some questions beyond just Q+A flow - I'll beg off
on that for the moment and follow up on the wiki page (will drop a
message back here later on that)

> > So, I would suggest that, for just the moment, we try to look at package
> > pros and cons within it's group, as if we where going to setup one of
> > each - pushing back a final decision to one of, which type would be
> > implemented.
>
> That's a good idea, also because forums and q&a system both have unique pros and cons…. I'll 
> prepare the vm for the setup of a forum when I find time to do this.

Well, maybe I can off load some of that - I have a shared server which
could be used to setup one or more test sites - thought I'd talk with
Jonathon (and/or others) about working with me on that - if he (or
others) are interested in pursuing that I'll setup a sandbox area later
today and assign credentials for same.

Best wishes,

//drew


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