My exploration of stackoverflow was because it was offered as an example of what might serve for "User support: beyond forums or lists." I have learned its limitations (and I continue to monitor it for openoffice.org questions).
It is clear to me that the StackExchange sites do not qualify as something that can replace lists. As you point out, it can't replace forums either, although I have seen all of the things you point at accomplished on stackoverflow. It takes more work. I don't doubt that we will continue to provide Forums. I have no objection to that. I still think that there should be at least [email protected], and maybe [email protected] (or whatever it is called). I find all of this preaching for forums to be odd, since the provision of forums is not in doubt. - Dennis -----Original Message----- From: RGB ES [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2011 00:39 To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Re: [email protected] [Was: Re: [Discussion] [email protected]] I'll not quote anyone here because this is a general consideration... ;) On the discussion about which is the best way to help users, several times appeared a mention to Q/A sites like stackoverflow or similar. There is, IMHO, a big problem with those sites: they help to provide short and definitive answers, /but not to maintain discussions/... Those sites are useful when a simple question can be solved by a simple answer, but on complex packages like an office suite most of the time you need interaction between the person who ask the question and the person with the ability to answer that question. And this interaction is not simply because the questioner was not clear enough, but mainly because the answer needs to be "tailored" to be useful. Q/A sites help to obtain short answers, but short answer only seldom are useful when you use a package like OOo. I think that because of it ability to cross referencing, quoting, attaching files, search capabilities, /discussing/... forums still are the best solution. Just my 2ยข Cheers Ricardo
