[gobolinux-users] Gobolinux Forum?

[Carlo Calica]

On 5/26/07, MJ Ray <mjr at phonecoop.coop> wrote:
> molfar <molfar.ua at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I think it is broken and does not recognise the post-2000 TLDs like
> mine.  Indeed, Googlemail used to be broken in a similar way.  I can't
> be sure of this because Google have never answered any of my technical
> support requests.  According to web searches, that lack of tech
> support is fairly common.
>

I sent you an email to test.

> Compare that to the excellent service we currently get from
> gobolinux-users-owner...
>
> Please don't move to the out-of-control, broken and unfixable-by-us
> Google Groups.  If you want a web forum, please pick one that
> integrates with the current lists instead of replacing them.  If you
> want a standalone web forum, so be it, but don't kill the lists.
>

I agree completely.  The forum should be a first class citizen.  That
means forum.gobolinux.org.  Outsourcing to google groups I view as a
step backwards.

Regarding community size.  We've grown considerably.  Traffic on
gobo.calica.com is 5x compared to 1-2 years ago.  Subjectively, it
feels like we have many more users "on list".  Maybe it is time to
reevaluate the forum question.   It is a part of growing from small to
large.

A few of my thoughts wrt forums:

Forums are without question useful.  The question is if they're
currently workable.

A mail list <---> forum link is probably a pipe dream.  We shouldn't
rely on it.  Making the forum sustainable until it reaches critical
mass is THE important task.  To do that means defining some processes.

Its a project of our user community not the devs.

Needs a small team of moderators (5-10??) willing to provide support
to users on the forum.  Should be advanced users or devs.  Should be
able to handle most of the install/config issues.

Moderators should be the interface between forums and mailing
list/bugs.gobolinux.org.  I believe every dev would be more than happy
to visit the forum when alerted.  Some might even stay.

Any other processes to add?


-- 
Carlo J. Calica