[K12OSN] Opinions on a Forum

[Petre Scheie]

Yes, I wish the k12ltsp wiki had a *prominent* link right on the first page of 
k12ltsp.org. OTOH, Ubuntu has Canonical driving it; k12ltsp just has...us. ;-)

Petre

David Trask wrote:
> I agree...a wiki is a better idea, but it must be added to.  The problem
> with a forum is that someone with the answer actually has to go there and
> post an answer to a question.  The mailing list....while a bit unorganized
> will get much quicker results.  A  more active wiki....like the Ubuntu
> wiki will give us a place to put more permanent help.  Just my $.02
> 
> Darryl_Palmer_Jr at acm.org writes:
>> On 11/13/06, Shane Sammons <[ mailto:shane.sammons at gmail.com
>> ]shane.sammons at gmail.com> wrote: 
>>
>>
>> Hi Everyone,
>>
>> I had a little side questions about a forum in a previous question.
>> However, I wanted to be a member here for at least a week to see the flow
>> and organization of stuff here.
>>
>> Now I have decided it is time to ask your thoughts and opinions on
>> forums. Not to replace the mailing list, but to offer a more interactive,
>> community driven, better organized, and active resource to add to the
>> items K12LTSP and such might have. I think a lot of good can come from
>> it, but only if many people agree and willing to use it. 
>>
>>
>> My vote is NO.
>>
>> Let me quickly go through your list of Pros:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *We can organize, categorize, and sub-forums things
>> Think of things broken down like Client Setup -> Brand -> Model with
>> topic for each system, how much cleaner could it be?
>>
>>
>> We should capture information and put it on a Wiki.  A set of
>> messages/problems do not necessarily fit one category, or is not posed in
>> such a way to fit an existing category, but can be post-edited to follow
>> some hierarchy.  If someone is having severe issues and can't categorize
>> it as being their client, their server, or their switch, then most issues
>> will originally end up in a catch all group anyway, or worse the wrong
>> group. 
>>
>>
>>
>> *Its able to be searched, no need to use Google, though we all love it,
>> you need not take an extra step
>>
>> K12OSN can be searched also from the mailing list webpage I thought?  If
>> not, then is using Google really that hard?  Some people may not realize
>> there is a mailing list and by using Google they can find it, it will be
>> much harder if Google can't spider our forum boards as easily. 
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *We can rank members, give awards (special ranks), and if modded even
>> more potentially
>>
>> I don't see a need for this.  Most people on the list are naturally
>> helpful and don't have to be tossed trinkets such as a rank or award to
>> help others out.
>>
>>
>>
>> *We can moderators to help manage posts and topics, editing, and more is
>> available.
>>
>> I for one am bogged down as it is with all the Linux and educational FOSS
>> mailing lists I am on and I don't know if there are too many people that
>> will raise their hands to do more work.  I also believe in the free and
>> open flow of information, without moderators. 
>>
>>
>>
>> *It is database driven, which we can export and move elsewhere is the
>> time comes
>>
>>
>> *It is convertible, most major forums convert between each other without
>> topics loss
>>
>> These really don't count.  You assume we want a forum to begin with so
>> not losing the information and converting the forum data to another forum
>> system is a good thing.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Member groups allows easy identification of developers, contributors,
>> company reps, etc. and can be optional 
>>
>> Just have people add it to their signatures, but please no more then 6
>> lines or 200 characters.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *You can still "subscribe" to topics and forums to still get email
>> updates of events.
>>
>> This could be useful.
>>
>>
>>
>> *We can make guides and topic solutions that can be submitted to the Wiki
>>
>> Nothing stopping us from doing it now.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Because of categories the community can have "other" topics to help
>> branch out beyond the scope mailing list 
>>
>> There are already other mailing lists and associations out there.  To
>> think that we can take something that is very technical and branch out
>> and get more members might be harder then you think.  Hosting for other
>> groups or creating an umbrella association may be better, but then we
>> already have SchoolForge. 
>>
>> Darryl
>> _______________________________________________
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>> K12OSN at redhat.com
>> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
>> For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
> 
> 
> 
> David N. Trask
> Technology Teacher/Director
> Vassalboro Community School
> dtrask at vcsvikings.org
> (207)923-3100
> 
> 
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