I am sure this has been asked before, but why not use Google newsgroup or at least some forum BBS software instead of this cumbersome mailing list process? -- Costas Menico Meezon Software Corp 201-224-8111 costas@meezon.com --
> I am sure this has been asked before, but why not use > Google newsgroup or at least some forum BBS software > instead of this cumbersome mailing list process?Someone's wanting to get flamed today eh? ;-) I'm a big fan of bulletin board type systems and have used phpBB quite a bit (www.phpbb.com) - it's great because it has a "show me all new messages since I last logged in" feature and allows for multiple forums/topics etc. You can get it to email you if someone replies to a thread that you've marked/are "watching". That said, I like the Asterisk mailing lists too - they end up in different folders in my Outlook, I can follow threads etc, it works well too. Six of one, half a dozen of the other I guess - everyone has their personal preferences. As for "cumbersome" - hmm, that's the word that'll maybe rock the boat on the list. What's the problem with a mailing list? So long as people can handle the basics of reply quoting etiquette and keep away from HTML formatting, there should be few problems? I guess the only thing is the search capabilities but then you can do that through Google or another archive indexer - it's just maybe not that obvious/clear how to do it.. For list reference/archiving, go to www.google.com, in the search keywords box type "site:lists.digium.com" followed by the keywords you want to search. Anyone else got thoughts/evidence on email versus BBS type working?
I think back in the startup days mailing lists did the job but, given the advances that have been made to bbs software it would beehove using them. Here is some issues with emails that bbs software solve. 0) You need email software. Why clutter everyones email boxes with thousands of messages. 1) Not everyone uses outlook or email clients. (I use web based email exclusively) 2) Since I don't have all of the messages from day one, I have to download all the files and keep them somewhere where I can remember. Any of my associates have to do the same. 3) Its hard to search for something unless I download the archives and search a humoungs files and then open them. 4) I prefer forums like the phpBB. They have so many cool things that can be setup for users. Easy to organize, easy to find things, give incentives and recognition to users. Add links to all the websites. I guess in the end its the advantage of an automobile over a horse buggy. They both do the same thing. Just one is faster and has more features than the other. Costas ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: "Paul Crick" <web-asterisk-users@ivrl.com> Reply-To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2003 14:32:03 -0700>> I am sure this has been asked before, but why not use >> Google newsgroup or at least some forum BBS software >> instead of this cumbersome mailing list process? >Someone's wanting to get flamed today eh? ;-) > >I'm a big fan of bulletin board type systems and have used phpBB quite a bit >(www.phpbb.com) - it's great because it has a "show me all new messages >since I last logged in" feature and allows for multiple forums/topics etc. >You can get it to email you if someone replies to a thread that you've >marked/are "watching". > >That said, I like the Asterisk mailing lists too - they end up in different >folders in my Outlook, I can follow threads etc, it works well too. > >Six of one, half a dozen of the other I guess - everyone has their personal >preferences. As for "cumbersome" - hmm, that's the word that'll maybe rock >the boat on the list. What's the problem with a mailing list? So long as >people can handle the basics of reply quoting etiquette and keep away from >HTML formatting, there should be few problems? I guess the only thing is the >search capabilities but then you can do that through Google or another >archive indexer - it's just maybe not that obvious/clear how to do it.. > >For list reference/archiving, go to www.google.com, in the search keywords >box type "site:lists.digium.com" followed by the keywords you want to >search. > >Anyone else got thoughts/evidence on email versus BBS type working? > >_______________________________________________ >Asterisk-Users mailing list >Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com >http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users >-- Costas Menico Meezon Software Corp 201-224-8111 costas@meezon.com --
Steven Critchfield
2003-Sep-28 18:17 UTC
[Asterisk-Users] Google newsgroup or Forum setup.
On Sun, 2003-09-28 at 16:12, costas wrote:> I am sure this has been asked before, but why not use Google newsgroup > or at least some forum BBS software instead of this cumbersome mailing > list process?Because bbs software requires net connection at the time of browsing. Because newsgroups are basically email with central IMAP server, and newsgroups don't have access control to handle stupid spammers. Mailing lists also allow any individual that is subscribed create their own archive. Mailing lists also are able to be read offline at the users convenience. Mailing lists can be easily read on any number of alternative devices. -- Steven Critchfield <critch@basesys.com>
I am surprised to the opposition to forums. Are we living in the stone age? I have used many forums and find them 100 times easier than mailing lists. Imagine having to get emails from 10's of forums filling up my mailboxes every day. But here is some answers to arguments why forums are better: 1) A forum organizes and centralizes the messages where they can be accessed from anywhere at anytime. You just need a browser. As far as seraching options the sky is the limit. Someones was suggesting how I should be using a "quality" product like Outlook. I don't know if he was joking. Although maybe "quality", I would not want my email to be on one desktop. We are in the age of distributed computing and not necessarily working for big corporations. And anyway, Outlook is virus prone. (I love FUD) 2) Everyone has internet access. I don't get the dialup issue. Accessing forums is still faster even with dialup. And the graphics are just options. 3) You can still have the forum email you all your topics if you like email. Knock yourself out. 4) You can have the forum email only topics of interest. 5) You can have the forum email you only replies to your topic 6) Spammers? Forums require loggins with email authentication to prevent spamming. My email is full of spammers already. Do I have to deal with self mailing list excess? 7) And then the guy who said the horse can be faster than an automobile. Although a romantic notion of the old west Pony Express or something, wanna race east coast to west coast against my beat up Chevy? Come on. This reminds me of flames arguing over whether Notepad is easier to use than an IDE when programming. Let me not start. I face this issue everyday with people who dont even wanna use computers for telephony. The usual answer is: "Its always been done like that." even if it saves them a zillion dollars and time. So I try to sell them harder. Either way, I just wanted to make my views known. Thanks for listening. Costas -- Costas Menico Meezon Software Corp 201-224-8111 costas@meezon.com --
costas wrote:> I am sure this has been asked before, but why not use Google newsgroup or at least some forum BBS software instead of this cumbersome mailing list process? > > -- > Costas Menico > Meezon Software Corp > 201-224-8111 > costas@meezon.comY'know, it doesn't *have* to be one or the other. Yahoo! Groups allows me to choose whether to read a message board via the web or email - I choose. Brad Waite
Don't tell me, but your next request is going to be to move the IRC discussion to AIM? Look, for all that a web forum does, a mailing list is /so/ much quicker. Messages to the list are pre-sorted into folders, which I access via IMAP from Outlook. Outlook sorts them by subject/date, I pull up the first message with my mouse, and from there on out, it's down arrow or delete. I can read through hundreds of messages without ever touching my mouse (yes, I use windows, but hate the mouse). I haven't played with it much, but from what I remember, Evolution is almost as easy to use with/without the mouse. -- Troy Settle Pulaski Networks http://www.psknet.com 540.994.4254 ~ 866.477.5638 Pulaski Chamber 2002 Small Business Of The Year> -----Original Message----- > From: asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com > [mailto:asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of costas > Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2003 5:12 PM > To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com; asterisk-users@lists.digium.com > Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Google newsgroup or Forum setup. > > > I am sure this has been asked before, but why not use Google > newsgroup or at least some forum BBS software instead of this > cumbersome mailing list process? > > -- > Costas Menico > Meezon Software Corp > 201-224-8111 > costas@meezon.com > > -- > _______________________________________________ > Asterisk-Users mailing list > Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users >
Ok, barring all the ridicule and fun about little pictures (call emoticons these days) at least look at an example and decide. Either way, someone has to volunteer to set this up. http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/index.php I was thinking that a way it can be done is to have all maillist email just forwarded over to the forum and grouped accordingly based on the reply-to and content or subject line. I have to see if phpBB can do this as well as email to the list without infinite recursion. If do-able I may volunteer to set up the thing. Costas ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Leif Madsen <leif@radiokaos.com> Reply-To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 10:09:36 -0400>Troy Settle wrote: > >> Don't tell me, but your next request is going to be to move the IRC >> discussion to AIM? > >Actually, would you mind if we switched it to MSN 6? I really like >those little pictures.... > >:D > >Leif Madsen. (who doesn't use MSN6) > >_______________________________________________ >Asterisk-Users mailing list >Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com >http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users >-- Costas Menico Meezon Software Corp 201-224-8111 costas@meezon.com --
I'll offer one better. Why don't we mirror all of the maillist posts to a forum. That way both parties are happy. Those that want a forum can use a forum interface and still post to the maillist and those that like the maillist can stay as is. Would have to write a Perl script to pull this off...any volunteers to help would be appreciated. I'll offer the server space, bandwidth and hosting. -----Original Message----- From: asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com [mailto:asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Tilghman Lesher Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 11:45 AM To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] Google newsgroup or Forum setup. On Monday 29 September 2003 09:30 am, costas wrote:> Ok, barring all the ridicule and fun about little pictures (call > emoticons these days) at least look at an example and decide. Either > way, someone has to volunteer to set this up.OK, tell you what. You go off and set up a forum for Asterisk and let it run in parallel with the Asterisk lists. I'm sure people will even link to your forum from various webpages. Now after a month, three months, and six months, we'll see which (mailing list or your forum) has more traffic. If your forum is getting barely a trickle at the end of six months, you'll agree that this was a silly suggestion and shut it down. Sound good? -Tilghman _______________________________________________ Asterisk-Users mailing list Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
See my Mon, 29 Sep 2003 10:30:23 -0400 email (Sorry emails have no message #s to refer to :) ) ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: "Keith O'Brien" <keith@voipreviews.com> Reply-To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 00:25:30 -0400>I think that you missed my point. I am not proposing to establish a forum >and abolish the maillist. > >The forum would get traffic as all posts sent to the maillist would >automatically post to the forum. Those that want to answer using the forum >can do so and it would forward to the list. > >If the forum fails, the maillist is running in parallel and would still be >active so we would be back where we are today. While the newsgroup option >is an option, I'd agree this isn't the best avenue due to spam abuse. > >I realize that your needs may not require a forum, which is fine. And for >those like you things would proceed as is without changes. For those that >have other needs would have another option. > >Keith > >-----Original Message----- >From: asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com >[mailto:asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Tilghman Lesher >Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 1:37 PM >To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com >Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] Google newsgroup or Forum setup. > > > >Top-quoting. Argh. > >On Monday 29 September 2003 12:16 pm, Keith O'Brien wrote: >> I'll offer one better. Why don't we mirror all of the maillist >> posts to a forum. That way both parties are happy. Those that want a >> forum can use a forum interface and still post to the maillist and >> those that like the maillist can stay as is. > >Because the point was that forums, while their proponents feel is the next >best thing since sliced bread, don't actually get very much traffic. >There's far too many projects out there (Sourceforge, >anyone?) which have died due to the dearth of people checking the forum for >posts. > >Note that the mailing list is archived in several different places, and >everything is indexed by Google. If the one provider hosting a forum has a >catastrophic failure, there isn't much in the way of backups. > >-Tilghman > >_______________________________________________ >Asterisk-Users mailing list >Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com >http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users > > > > >_______________________________________________ >Asterisk-Users mailing list >Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com >http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users >-- Costas Menico Meezon Software Corp 201-224-8111 costas@meezon.com --