[ubuntu-in] mailing Lists or Discussion Forums (was Ubuntu India Forum - )

[Vivek Khurana]

On 9/30/07, Onkar Shinde <onkarshinde at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I have nothing against forums in general. What I don't understand is
> why searching a information source hosted at a server (forums) is
> preferred over searching the contents of your inbox (mailing list).

 For a simple reason, not everyone is geeky enough. Not everyone keeps
all the mails in their mail boxes for ever (please do not suggest
gmail or any other unlimited storage space mailing list here)
Assuming anything or "not understanding " anything about customer
behaviour is dangerous.
 Yes, the fact is people do like to use forums over mailing lists. So,
having a forum makes sense. I would personally like a method to have
every email thread posted to forum and replies to same thread be
posted to mailing list.
 For those who say FOOS gives new way of doing things, please remeber
that even  FOSS has to provide/repluicate features of non-FOSS world.
We have to provide GUI based interface parellel to console simply
because users are more comfortable with GUI,even when geeks prefer
console.

 Ubuntu is a distro focusing on end users, so lets not aassume things.
For those having any doubts about usability of forum vs mailing list,
please go and talk to end users (non-techies, non-developers) and
please do not suggest them that mailing is better than forum or vice
versa, just ask what they prefer. Lets so this and see what end users
prefer. (I am not suggesting any online poll).

regards
VK
-- 
The hidden harmony is better than the obvious!!