Re: Nabble issues --> Discourse

[Kai Torben Ohlhus]

On 6/26/20 5:21 AM, Philip Nienhuis wrote:
> 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


Basically, I am figuring out what is possible with Discourse, as I never
worked as an Discourse admin before.  I like the distinction between
user and maintainer forums too, but it must not necessarily be two
separate Discourse instances.

A scenario I can imagine is to work with categories (help and
maintainers, maybe more) Maybe it is possible that new users still keep
an overview without getting "disturbed" by development chats.

Kai