I had another look through the conversation here, and I think this can be approached differently.
Let's strip things down to fundamentals. Can we ensure that any new system does the following? 1) It keeps everyone on the [email protected] list, and doesn't fracture the community 2) The impact for people who interact via e-mail, Google Groups, etc. is nominal 3) Messages posted through the new system behave as normal e-mail on the list (hence facilitating point 2) If these can be met, then we're probably okay. As for my vbulletin comment, I was merely using the software used by ubuntuforums.org as an example of forum software in general. 2009/10/19 Dave Hall <[email protected]>: > I am going to top post as I don't think there is much point in going > through your response point by point. > > For the record I don't really care if this happens or not, I won't use > it. At the same time I want to put some effort into making sure if it > does go ahead it is done in a way which is useful for the community, > doesn't fragment things and minimises the effort involved in supporting > it. > > Lets review what is being proposed. > > Brad? (Bronze?) has offered to setup and host a forum. > > The forum will interface with the mailing list/s - I would suggest this > list, ubuntu users, kubuntu users and maybe one or 2 other _user_ lists. > Developer lists should not be added to the forum. > > Anything from the lists ends up on the forum and vise versa. It is just > like gmane or google groups - except that FUDForum or some other FOSS > platform will be used, so it is actually better than the 2 proprietary > web applications you have proposed. I have never suggested using > vBulletin - or any other proprietary platform. > > We keep all the benefits of the current setup _and_ we _add_ another > interface to the lists, which lowers the barrier to entry for people who > are new the free software world. > > Given the above I am at a loss as to why you are so hostile to this > proposal. I have used this type of setup in the past and found it be > the most successful way to run a "forum". No one is suggesting you have > to change any thing or do any thing differently to how you do it now. > > I would suggest Brad and anyone else who wants to set this thing up > should do it and we can see how it goes. If it doesn't work out, so be > it, it isn't like it is days of work involved in setting it up. > > Cheers > > Dave > > On Mon, 2009-10-19 at 17:33 +1100, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote: >> 2009/10/19 Dave Hall <[email protected]>: >> > On Sun, 2009-10-18 at 19:29 +1100, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote: >> >> 2009/10/18 Dave Hall <[email protected]>: >> >> > On Sun, 2009-10-18 at 17:35 +1100, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote: >> >> >> >> >> > That is why I proposed the compromise plan - use a forum with a mail >> >> > interface and link it to the relevant lists. It would also allow us to >> >> > make more lists available to Australia ubuntu users. FUDForum is >> >> > capable of doing this. >> >> >> >> But we already have a compromise plan: a list with multiple forum >> >> interfaces. >> >> >> >> That gives us: >> >> * an e-mail list, professionally and reliably administered by >> >> Canonical (lists.ubuntu.com) >> >> * forum-like interfaces through Google, Gmane, etc. >> >> * a centralised and reliable store of message archives >> >> * other archives around the Internet >> > >> > All of this remains >> > >> >> * no burden of administration on any community member >> > >> > Someone has offered to admin it. >> >> "Someone" >> >> Do we have certainty that this service will continue for the long >> term? Will it have the same level of reliability and performance as >> using Canonical's servers? >> >> Can we trust a proprietary service? At least with Canonical there is a >> degree of trust. >> >> >> Another key question is who will own the posts. I don't want my posts >> >> to be owned by some unknown entity. I can post to lists.ubuntu.com >> >> with some assurance that they'll do the right thing with regards to >> >> rights. Even if they don't, my messages are still mirrored around the >> >> Web. >> > >> > As it interfaces with the lists, it will be the same as now. >> >> I still don't see how turning everything upside down will bring any >> benefit. We already have a system that is tried and proven, and there >> are multiple capable Web interfaces to use. Would it make you feel >> better if I called Google Groups or Gmane a "forum"? >> >> If you're so wedded to vBulletin, there's always ubuntuforums.org. Why >> have another? >> >> Based on experience, I can say that this is not something that >> Ubuntu-Au should be doing. It's a lot of work for no gain. >> >> -- >> Bring choice back to your computer. >> http://www.linux.org.au/linux >> > > > > -- Bring choice back to your computer. http://www.linux.org.au/linux -- ubuntu-au mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au
