Re: [Perfparse-devel-int] Support forum on sf.net

[Ben C. <BCl...@pe...>]

Yves wrote:
>>The one problem I can see is posting a question to the news groups
>>without subscription.  Anonymous email may not work if the user does not
>>know where the answer will be seen.  Although currently possible.
> 
> 
> People usually subscribe or say they did not subscribe and would like to be in CC for
> the answer.

KISS:  Give them a single page with the archives and a posting form :)

This is not possible with our mailing list.

No need to subscribe/unsubscibe.  No need to ask users to include a 
different reply email address.



> You can (additionnaly) edit the web page where you explain where to subscribe and add
> that users should read on wiki.perfparse.org before asking for something.

This would be this page:

http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?forum_id=43072

Unfortunately I don't have the option to edit this.  This is a dead-end 
URL.


> There is always a way to post an anonymous question :)
> Besides this, in some countries, you (as the maintainer) would be responsible for the
> contents of anonymous posts.
> Flo, where is wiki.perfparse.org hosted ? Any idea about what the law says ?

Agreed:- Anonymous posting is a nice option where appropriate.  I don't 
mind, if we really have to, forcing people to subscribe.  But maybe not 
yet if possible.



>>3 Email alerts possible for the rest of us.  (Check, is this possible?)
> 
> I prefer a form that send the question directly to the mailing list and returns to the
> user that some answers may be found on the mail archives. I prefer it this way in order
> to centralize everything in the mail archives.

Agreed, would be great.  My problem with this is only that it takes them 
away from the nice wiki site where there is no link back home.


>>4 Keeps posting/viewing/searching on the same server.
> 
> mail archives :)

No posting ability from http :)



>>5 Ensure entire PP project in same look/feel, when style sheets agreed.
> 
> You cannot do it because of the mail archives :)

There are limits.  But it's no argument not to use wiki because the mail 
list archive is on a different server.  The mail archive still has a 
place.  I want to give the novice user another mechanism which is fast, 
in the PP style, and keeps them close to the FAQ and other documentation.

I want to turn a disconnected group of servers sites and mailing lists 
into a consistent PP support tool...



> This should be done even if you choose to use the forums.

I will add it as a footer on the mailing lists, if I can.  This will help.



> This is my best argument to reduce the number of communication channels.
> 1/ www.perfparse.org
> 2/ wiki.perfparse.org
> 3/ mail archive
> 4/ mailing-lists
> 
> Adding a forum would be a 5th channel even if hosted on wiki.perfparse.org.



I would like to see it as just two:

www.perfparse.org <----> wiki.perfparse.org
    |                           |
    |                           |
    v                           V
Static front site.        Dynamic documents, FAQ and Forum.

With the mailing lists as an extra for 'advanced' users if they wish.



>>2 It requires a http server which is not part of the archive http
>>server, which is closed to us.  So you cannot link from the archive back
>>to the question page.  So users viewing the archive will not know of
>>this nice page we provide to add to the archive :)
> 
> 
> Maybe that's too complex ? Should we do things simpler and stupid ?

Yes :)  A html forum on wiki :)

But before we argue our selves into a hole, maybe let others join the 
argument....


Ben