[OSM-talk] forum.openstreetmap.org

[Lester Caine]

Brent Easton wrote:
>> 3. There's only one thing that is worse than splitting discussion
>> between a forum and a mailing list, and that is trying to somehow copy
>> postings between them. It never works, and always breaks both; not
>> least because the behavioural norms in both mediums are different.
> 
> My 'main' open source project has reached the same point where the users are demanding a php style forum while the developers are resisting it. Both sides can put up good arguments. We are looking into a phpBB implementation that offers an automatic two-way email interface (i.e. members can choose to get all forum messages emailed and emailed replies go the forum). I shall post our findings and experiences here.

While yahoo groups is an utter pain, the fact that we can work either email or 
web gives the best of both 'worlds'. ( The fact that you don't have to correct 
the return email address is a nice plus :) )
*SO* if the official communications channel is to move from here, then 
anything that replaces it should STILL be accessible as if it is an email 
list, so nobody can then object?
Personally I prefer to navigate and search messages off-line even though I 
have an always on internet access. If I had to scout through every list that I 
currently access via email then what currently takes little time would become 
totally unmanageable, and I have dropped sites that have made a move to web 
based only forums for that reason.

-- 
Lester Caine - G8HFL
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