[Mageia-discuss] User support mailing list?

[Michael Scherer]

Le lundi 06 juin 2011 à 10:37 +0200, Daniel Kreuter a écrit :
> Hello all,
> 
> I like the idea of a dedicated support ml for users. Ubuntu is using such
> lists and it is very well used even there exists irc and forums as well.
> 
> So why shouldn't we try something like that? If it's not used we can delete
> the list and use the forums instead.

My main argument against a separate user ml is this would create 2
separate support community, with all issues that it create ( clutter,
different feedback, lack of communication between helpers since some of
them will not go at all on the forum or ml ). In fact, I would even
remove irc from the support stuff and only promote the forum as such for
the time being.

We have setup a whole governance system to gather feedback from the
whole community ( with team, elected representative, etc ), and having
lots of small sub community just make this feedback more complex. 

See for example here. The discussion is on the ml, but why shouldn't it
on the forums too ? And once on forum, why not include people that are
only on irc ( and on every chan ) ? 

So as long as there is no official support team, with a structure,
elected people and that the team is running well ( ie, is sustainable
and running since some months without trouble ), splitting support is
just making our life harder in the long term.
 
> Like already mentioned the users should decide which kind of medium to use
> to ask their questions.

I beg to differ.
The project should decide, based on the ressources and on the goal to
achieve, what it offer. That doesn't mean it doesn't need to take
feedback in account, far from it. But there is more than simply users
wish to take in account, and forgetting this reality is giving false
expectations.  

-- 
Michael Scherer