Wither Ubuntu ? was (Re: The, "Edgy in the news" thread)

[Jeff Waugh]

<quote who="Peter Garrett">

> > sounder is for chit-chat and discussions, ubuntu-users is for technical
> > support. 
> 
> So it has been decreed, yes. 

It was the intention from the start.

> > The traffic on ubuntu-users is already so great, that it makes
> > sense to use the lists as originally intended. 
> 
> Who draws the line, Jeff? Answer: you can't, and neither can anyone else.
> People are free, and will continue to express themselves as they see fit.

For sure. But do expect people to encourage posts to the correct list, so
discussions can take place in the appropriate venues.

> If not, they will leave. Simple, really. If they leave, Ubuntu loses
> breadth, because the kind of people who will leave over such issues are
> people who do not see computing purely through technical eyes, but rather
> as a means to an end, and as a part of culture.

So I'm sure those people will appreciate a list focused on the culture of
Ubuntu, without the massive overload of technical discussion on the users
lists.

> So i take it that any  "meta-discussion" , in your view, belongs on
> sounder? And where does serious discussion belong if this is the list
> for "random pranks and amusements" ?

It's clear from the description of the lists as to what is appropriate.
Don't use my casual phrasing to score points. I don't know why this has to
be an argument.

> The problem with this, as I pointed out at the time that the "Topic" for
> ubuntu-users was changed, is that what we end up with is an artificial and
> arbitrary division between "technical" and "< insert your terms of choice
> here >

There's support, and then there's discussion. It's not very arbitrary. :-)

> Since part of the philosophy behind Ubuntu is to be inclusive, to be
> human, to be what we are because of what we all are, it grates for me and
> evidently quite a few others, when decisions like this are made.

Well, it was always intended to be this way, and it makes it much simpler
for people to decide where to post and what about, and choose which topics
they want to track.

I've snipped the rest of your mail -- I don't think the appropriateness of
topics on these mailing lists is worthy of such significant verbiage. This
isn't a big deal, it's just normal adaptation of community forums as they
grow. It's certainly not going to have a big impact on Ubuntu's ability to
find new users, grow, or continue with the "Linux for Human Beings" ethic.

- Jeff

-- 
linux.conf.au 2007: Sydney, Australia           http://lca2007.linux.org.au/
 
       "In the beginning was the word, and the word was content-type:
                        text/plain" - Martin Schulze