Re: Nabble issues --> Discourse

Kai Torben Ohlhus wrote:
> On 6/25/20 7:03 AM, Philip Nienhuis wrote:
>> Nicholas Jankowski wrote:
>>>      In addition, Nabble's future seems to be uncertain, see:
>>>      http://support.nabble.com/The-Future-of-Nabble-td7605923.html
>>>
>>>
>>> well, not overly surprising.  while gnu.org <http://gnu.org> does
>>> maintain a list archive [1] and there is a reply-to button that I
>>> assume uses a mailto: link, it doesn't quote or carry over any useful
>>> message headers (actually, I don't think the list uses any thread
>>> linking headers). So that's sub-optimal, but possibly provides a
>>> minimal solution for you.
>>>
>>> there was a 'make a forum' discussion last year [2], but it sort of
>>> fizzled. when yahoo groups closed shop a number moved over to
>>> groups.io <http://groups.io>.  that acts as a fairly good mailing list
>>> / forum bridge.  I've been told that google groups can supposedly
>>> serve as a mailing list archive / portal interface. But haven't tried
>>> that since a number of mailing lists left it when they changed their
>>> operating mode from the old usenet nntp model.
>>>
>>
>> Thanks Nick.
>>
>> Yeah I know the gnu.org ML archive, in fact that's what I use to browse
>> the MLs (also the bug and patch tracker archives).
>> The reply button's functionality is rudimentary at best :-) OTOH the
>> search functionality is usable.
>>
>> Google groups seem to have a taint with it that many OSS communities I
>> was/are involved with don't like; same for yahoo. Another issue there
>> was retention time for postings, esp. in the usenet times.
>>
>> I do remember last year's discussion and a few others in years gone by.
>> These initiatives usually stall as soon as it emerges that it also
>> requires commitment for responsibilities like moderating, being
>> accountable for the provider, etc. that no one here is willing to pick
>> up. I'll blame no one, I have no interest in (nor time for) that stuff
>> either. What brings us together is enthusiasm for code development, not
>> for mundane stuff like forum administration.
>>
>> Well, I think I'll have to make do with the gnu.org "reply" button for
>> the foreseeable future :-)
>> Hopefully someone will come up with a better alternative, who knows.
>>
>> Philip
>>
> 
> 
> Since the last discussion [1,2,3], I think Discourse is the way to go
> for Octave to facilitate conversations on the help and maintainer lists,
> especially for new users.
> 
> Discourse covers all previously demanded features [4], including e-mail
> interaction.  On the con side, it is "difficult" to host it on Octave's
> own infrastructure (which seems incapable of doing this).
> 
> On the pro side, the company developing and hosting Discourse offers
> free hosting for FLOSS projects [5,6].  Checking their requirements,
> Octave seems suitable to apply for their program.  We can exit their
> program at any time (message export, no vendor lock-in).
> 
> If there are no strong objections against it, I would like to create and
> manage
> 
>    https://octave.discourse.group
> 
> and advertise it on Octave homepage, etc. after a short test period of
> about a week or so.
> 
> Kai
> 
> [1] https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/octave-maintainers/,
> [2]
> https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/octave-maintainers/2019-12/msg00144.html
> [3] https://wiki.octave.org/Forum_for_GNU_Octave
> [4] https://www.discourse.org/features
> [5] https://blog.discourse.org/2018/11/free-hosting-for-open-source-v2
> [6] https://free.discourse.group/

Thanks very much Kai.

Will there be a distinction between help and maintainers forums, sooner 
or later? I find that separation very useful.

BTW, before posting on the maintainers list I had email contact about 
Nabble with JWE; he asked me to bring this discussion to the maintainers 
ML and he "would be interested in discussing setting up a better 
community support forum, managed by the Octave community, and that could 
possibly begin to replace the help list."

Looks like it's getting momentum :-)

Philip