Ubuntu-Au Forum

[Sridhar Dhanapalan]

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 ubuntu-au at lists.ubuntu.com 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 <dave.hall at skwashd.com>:
> 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 <dave.hall at skwashd.com>:
>> > On Sun, 2009-10-18 at 19:29 +1100, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote:
>> >> 2009/10/18 Dave Hall <dave.hall at skwashd.com>:
>> >> > 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