Karsten Wade wrote:
> * A forum is a lower barrier to entry for a target audience (students
>   and educators using the textbook in a classroom) that is not already
>   invested in FOSS mailing lists.

I think this is a key reason for a forum interface.

I'd strongly suggest a gmane-like or groupserver-like forum interface
to the mailing lists.  I'm sure there must be some more software out
there by now, but I've not been following developments closely.

> * Forums are nicer for web search, which is important for a community
>   help location.

This need not be so, but pipermail is awful.  Lurker is better.

> * Forums allow admins/moderators to control threads more tightly -
>   move them, combine them, hide them, block them.  A mailing is all or
>   nothing, and you can't selectively block someone from contributing
>   to a specific thread -- all or nothing.

At least in the Mailman I use most, you can selectively block someone
from contributing to a specific thread.

Hope that helps,
-- 
MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op.
Webmaster, Debian Developer, Past Koha RM, statistician, former lecturer.
In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html
Available for hire for various work http://www.software.coop/products/
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