Re: Better forums

[Rikki Cattermole via Digitalmars-d]

On 18/06/2015 3:55 p.m., Morbid.Obesity wrote:
On Thursday, 18 June 2015 at 03:39:34 UTC, Vladimir Panteleev wrote:
On Thursday, 18 June 2015 at 02:13:13 UTC, Morbid.Obesity wrote:
It seems the forums are picking up a bit with newer people.
I suggest that subforums be used for specific topics or a tag based
system like stack overflow.

You mean the "Learn" forum? Because that form of discussion is only
applicable there, and not for general discussion.

At some point it will get out of control and have to be changed...
better not wait until that happens.

I don't know what you mean by this. I don't see how a simple increase
in users and activity would invalidate the current format.

I know that nntp might be an issue, one could possibly use something
like ##interfacing ##Java ##DLL at the end of the subject of a post
that remains compatible but newer software can keep track of all the
posts and allow searching using tags.

I don't see what considerable advantage would be provided by tagging
threads. Impossibility of editing will be another difficulty.

Better yet, create some bidirectional middleman between stack
exchange and the D forums/nntp.

I don't see what this would achieve.

Alternatively, and IMO the best way, simply drop backwards
compatibility with the newsgroups and get out of the dark ages.

Again, you mean just the "Learn" forum?

I'm biased, but generally speaking I think we're in a much better
place than most other programming language communities.

For example, Rust mainly uses GitHub issues, Go uses Google Groups,
Nim uses a (very simple) custom forum, many other have just mailing
lists or no official forums.

We have:

- Access via NNTP, mailing lists, or web interface with 4 different
view modes
- Threading
- Mobile-friendly view (apparently not perfect but much better than
nothing)
- Keyboard navigation
- Fast load speeds
- Open-source, self-hosted solution, no dependency on 3rd-parties

I think we have many advantages and few disadvantages compared to other

If D wants to represent the future it shouldn't use neanderthal
technologies, specially as a form of communication. We do not
communicate in grunts because it is inefficient and there are better
ways(english, for example... or any modern natural language), and
therefor, we shouldn't use nntp as a form of communication when there
are better ways.

[I'm not advocating the full logical conclusion but something a bit
more reasonable than 'living in the dark ages(taking into account
computer years ;) )]

Old technologies are not inherently worse. On the contrary, a
technology's age may show its maturity and widespread support -
consider the vast number of NNTP and mail clients you can get for any
platform and operating system, all of which can be used to access this
forum.

Come on, I know you do have to think much but at least try! A 90 your
old woman is "mature" but how many 19 year old men are chasing after them?

Your last comment is the same as "I like to use stones to wipe my butt!,
If it was good enough for the cavemen and seeing they probably did it
for thousands of years until they realized leafs could be used, then
surely it is more developed then anything recent like toilet paper!!!".

Simply put, the flaw in your logic is that new technology is not created
in a vacuum, it is based on the "old way" where people have **learned**
from there past mistakes.

Unfortunately your mentality is what prevents progress rather than
creates it. I suppose not a bad thing, balance is important. Just
realize I'm on the other end as you. I'd rather be a super human rather
than a caveman. Not just because of the rock/toilet paper issue.

Again, with a mentality such as yours, how do you ever except to
progress? This is a serious question, I can't ever see how it could get
us where we are at(which may not be that great, but if it's better than
where we were then surely it is due to technology. (using the stone was
the first step, the left the second, and toilet paper the third. The
bidet could be the fourth... Of course, super humans will have learned
to absorb all fecal matter through a specifically evolved pouch that
acts as a furnace. Only gas will be a problem, but I'm sure it will be
only a matter of time before someone, not like you, figures out a
solution for it.

Progress friend, that is what you need!

Actually I'm in agreement with Vladimir. NNTP as a backend system works 
rather well. And personally I was quite surprised at this.
No, we could easily add tags just prepend them as:

[GUI][Serialization] Help!!!! cannot serialize widgets data to disk

Really its just the web interface that needs to support it. NNTP clients 
will be more then happy to just search for "[GUI]".