Communications

[cfbsoftware]

I think it may be possible to modify our forum software such that

o Posting a discussion generates an email with the text of the post to all those who have requested notification.

Refer to the following discussion:

https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtop ... &t=1946665

Also note how convenient it is to:

• Be able to benefit from reading it today even though the discussion happened 4 years ago
• Be able to find it through Google
• Be able to read it even though you are not a member of the forum.

We need to provide access to open / searchable / historical BlackBox discussions like this unless we want to remain the best kept secret.

[DGDanforth]

Chris,
I am suggesting we have two views of the content people post.
o forum view
o email view

The current forum view remains unchanged.
An added feature to the forum is to include the text of the post in an email sent to the user.

An added feature to email sent from the user posts automatically to the forum.

You get the best of both by doing that.
If you don't want text sent to you just don't request that feature.
-----
I am considering creating a new issue to address these points.
The issue then will act as a focus for voting on whether or not these features should be added to the forum functionality.

We are loosing the BlackBox mailing list and we need to replace it. We are the ones to do that.

-Doug

[DGDanforth]

Folks,
I recently received this reply from Marc at Ominc

Hi Doug,

for BlackBox, we are currently using the free edition for LISTSERV Lite from L-Soft:

http://www.lsoft.com/download/listservfree.asp

This software comes with extensive documentation on how to install and manage it:

http://www.lsoft.com/resources/manuals.asp

And for our spinoff company Yaler (www.yaler.net), that provides relay services to access embedded devices over the Internet, we use Google Groups.

With kind regards,
Marc



> On 10 Nov 2014, at 01:56, Douglas G. Danforth <danforth@greenwoodfarm.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> We are still looking for a good replacement for the BlackBox Discussions list.
>
> It occurs to me to ask you what software are you using to implement that
> email list?
>
> Is it possible for us to get a copy of the software and a comment or two on
> how to install it?
>
> -Doug Danforth

Ivan will install this software if the Center votes to approve that.

Shall we have a vote to install LISTSERV?

-Doug

[Robert]

I got the impression that the people who voted against a list last time did so because they did not think a list was a good idea, not because the particular list technology suggested was sub-optimal.

If that is the case there seems no point having another vote.

[DGDanforth]

Danforth's View on Forums vs Email
A Forum is like a library with rooms for biology, astronomy, history,...
One must go to the library to read those topics.
One must search through the library to find things.
Using a Forum for communication is like putting notices on the walls of the library rooms.
A Forum is not necessarily 'modern'. It just is.

Email is like a letter delivered to your door.
It contains information for you.
You do not need to go anywhere.
You do not need to search.
You can keep the letter or throw it out.
You may put the letter in a special place if you wish.
Email is not necessarily 'old fashioned'. It just is.

[DGDanforth]

I got the impression that the people who voted against a list last time did so because they did not think a list was a good idea, not because the particular list technology suggested was sub-optimal.

If that is the case there seems no point having another vote.

Robert,
I believe you are right. But the idea is so foreign to me that I can't believe that is what people are saying.
To me a forum is not a substitute for email. They are different things and serve different purposes.

Is it really true that you (Center members) want to force community members to visit the Community Forum in order to find out what is happening with BlackBox?

-Doug

[DGDanforth]

How about this as a compromise.

Ivan has already added the Group Notification. That notification includes the body of the post.
Why don't I recontact the phpBB consultant and have him tweak that modification to clean it up
and make the default notification include the body of the post (variations of that can be discussed)?

Does anyone object to that suggestion?

-Doug

[Josef Templ]

I don't like the idea to have multiple communication media for the BlackBox community.
Some users will be on the mailing list, some will be in the forum, ec.
This splits the community into more or less disjoint groups, which should not happen.
I don't really care about using the one or the other tool, but it should be just one
channel that is used. Since we already have the phpBB forum for the community
we should stick to it and, if possible, make it as convenient as possible for anybody.

- Josef

[DGDanforth]

I don't like the idea to have multiple communication media for the BlackBox community.
Some users will be on the mailing list, some will be in the forum, ec.
This splits the community into more or less disjoint groups, which should not happen.
I don't really care about using the one or the other tool, but it should be just one
channel that is used. Since we already have the phpBB forum for the community
we should stick to it and, if possible, make it as convenient as possible for anybody.

- Josef

Josef,
If we modify the Group notification so users see posts via email they still need to visit the forum to reply.
That keeps the community together focused around the forum. It simply makes it easier for
everyone to determine whether a posting is worth visiting the forum rather than always having
to visit the forum to read postings. I think that is a good compromise.

[Ivan Denisov]

If we modify the Group notification so users see posts via email they still need to visit the forum to reply.
That keeps the community together focused around the forum. It simply makes it easier for
everyone to determine whether a posting is worth visiting the forum rather than always having
to visit the forum to read postings. I think that is a good compromise.

Doug, now the message sent only once until person do not visit topic. You will not get emails about each message in thread. I very like this polite notification style. I think it comes after the years of forums experience.