[Mageia-discuss] User support mailing list?

[andre999]

Remco Rijnders a écrit :
> On Fri, Jun 03, 2011 at 08:32:10PM +0300, Ahmad Samir wrote:
>> On 3 June 2011 17:30, Remco Rijnders <remco at webconquest.com> wrote:
>>> Dear all,
>>>
>>> In the past few days since the release (and also before, but less
>>> frequently) I notice a number of requests for help and assistance for a
>>> variety of issues being posted on this list. To me this seems to be not
>>> really on topic for this list which, to my understanding, is more
>>> aimed at
>>> discussing the direction of Mageia for future releases and the role
>>> Mageia
>>> should play in the larger free software community.
>>>
>>
>> "Mageia-discuss is about Mageia general discussions: future plans,
>> community, association, ... Feel free to ask any questions here."
>> c.f. https://www.mageia.org/mailman/listinfo/mageia-discuss
>>
>> I am not sure, if the "any questions" part includes support, but I
>> think so. History tells us that the higher the number of mailing lists
>> the higher the number of unused-and-left-to-cobwebs mailing lists
>> become...
>
> Would that not obsolete half our mailing lists though if "any questions"
> are on topic on this list? I interpretate it as "any questions on the
> aforementioned topics", though I agree that "..." leaves a lot of room
> open to interpretation.
>
> I find it hard to believe though that a mageia-users@ list would end up
> being a cobweb-list, though I could be wrong.
>
> To me, "discuss" is related to topics that warrant discussion. It's
> about things where different and even opposing points of view may exist
> and can be worked out through a series of communications back and forth.
>
> Support questions are not a discussion, they are simple matters of "I
> have a problem, how do I get it it fixed for me?". There are no opposing
> points of view, only different suggestions based on the interpretation
> of what the poster's problem is and the understanding of it by the
> helpful reader willing to assist. I can well understand that a person
> subscribed to this list might not be interested in end-user questions,
> just as much as a person needing or providing help might be interested
> in "political bickering" on the mageia-discuss list.
>
> Thanks Ahmad for your feedback :)
>
> Remco

I agree with Ahmad's interpretation.
As well, I think you will get a better response on this discuss list than with a dedicated 
user-help list.

My reasoning :
Many of those who would help you are interested in following the discussions.  If they see someone 
needing assistance, and they can help, they will.  But they are not necessarily interested in 
spending much time helping others.  As well, likely they would not be able to help with most 
problems.  Those more strongly interested in helping others are probably already helping on the 
forums, where it is easier to focus on particular problems needing solution.

My 2 cents.

-- 
André