[mythtv-users] Spilt Myth mailing list?

[Andrew Dodd]

Quoting Dan Berger <dan at theidiots.org>:

> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org 
> >[mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of J. Donavan Stanley
> 
> >Instead of 382 emails routed to my MythTV-Users folder
> >and presented to me in a threaded fashion I would what? 
> >Visit http://www.someforum.com/ and wait for a page load
> >for every topic and see 382 web messages instead?
> 
> No, it would be categorized in to sub-forums so that you go to the right
> place to go get your answer, the place that interests you. A forum gives
> you
> choices, with a mailing list, its all or nothing.
This is one of the two main reasons I think that a forum should be implemented.
 It categorizes things much more easily, and gives users an additional way to
narrow their search terms.

Very often even if someone searches the archive, unless their search term is
PERFECTLY crafted, they will miss a lot of information relevant to their search.

The other reason I fully support a forum is that email lists have no concept of
"sticky" threads.  Similar to a FAQ, but not dependent on Isaac to update the
rather incomplete and often out-of-date HOWTO.  Categorized FAQs in sticky
threads would be extremely useful.  (For example, there could be an "exporting
video" category, in which the most popular scripts for burning video to DVD
could be posted.  Right now, even if you search the archive for information on
the subject of burning a DVD, you're not guaranteed to find all of the scripts
that have been posted.)

Sticky threads will provide a wall of shielding from newbies too clueless to
actually do a proper search.  They can also be more easily updated (assuming
reasonably active moderators.)

What I propose as a possible structuring:
Tier 0 - A sanctioned forum that is linked to from mythtv.org (possibly even
hosted) - Isaac doesn't necessarily have to adminster it (or even host it, but
it would be nice if he'd host it.), just acknowledge and link to it.  As I've
mentioned before, I volunteer for setup and administration/moderation of a
forum.  The only thing I lack is a place to host it.  (I'm willing to at least
partially defray Issac's hosting costs by contributing a few bucks a month if he
does allow a forum to be hosted BTW.)  He doesn't even need to participate.
Tier 1 - This list.  Used to handle questions and discussion not answerable on
the general forum.
Tier 2 - The dev list.  Only people who are actively hacking the CVS versions
should be here.

A number of people here have commented that no one would be answering questions
on the forum.  I know for a fact that I would (I've been answering more
questions than asking so far), and I know at least some of the other forum
proponents are also in the category of "helpers" on this list.  Hell, I would
probably be more active answering questions on the forum, because it's easier to
see "at a glance" what new questions have been asked in what categories.  (i.e.
one has not only the subject of the thread, but the forum category too.)

On the subject of mail readers, IMAP support, etc.

Everyone agains the forum seems to be answering with the following:
"Use a Mozilla descendant email client"
"Use IMAP"

The two are mutually exclusive.  Every Netscape-heritage email client I've used
(even recent ones), and Ximian Evolution have horrible IMAP support that was
added as an afterthought.  The point of IMAP is to have all mail stored on the
server, but both aforementioned clients insist on keeping local copies of mail
even when in IMAP mode, unless Mozilla's IMAP support has been completely
rearchitectured within the past 3-4 months.

So far the only email clients I know of with proper IMAP support that gracefully
handle large mailboxes without killing the IMAP server are Pine and IMP. 
(Typically I delete-cruise by subject in Pine then read the rest in IMP.)

Mailing lists work well for small projects, and in fact are better suited in
that case.  But at this point, Myth is relatively mature and has many users, and
so with the exception of power users and development, it makes sense to move
discussion to an environment that is "pull" (forum) and not "push" for the
users.  As I stated before - Help me the hosting, give me a link from
mythtv.org, and I'll handle the rest.