[K12OSN] Opinions on a Forum

[David Trask]

I agree...a wiki is a better idea, but it must be added to.  The problem
with a forum is that someone with the answer actually has to go there and
post an answer to a question.  The mailing list....while a bit unorganized
will get much quicker results.  A  more active wiki....like the Ubuntu
wiki will give us a place to put more permanent help.  Just my $.02

Darryl_Palmer_Jr at acm.org writes:
>On 11/13/06, Shane Sammons <[ mailto:shane.sammons at gmail.com
>]shane.sammons at gmail.com> wrote: 
>
>
>Hi Everyone,
> 
>I had a little side questions about a forum in a previous question.
>However, I wanted to be a member here for at least a week to see the flow
>and organization of stuff here.
> 
>Now I have decided it is time to ask your thoughts and opinions on
>forums. Not to replace the mailing list, but to offer a more interactive,
>community driven, better organized, and active resource to add to the
>items K12LTSP and such might have. I think a lot of good can come from
>it, but only if many people agree and willing to use it. 
>
> 
>My vote is NO.
> 
>Let me quickly go through your list of Pros:
> 
>
>
>
>*We can organize, categorize, and sub-forums things
>Think of things broken down like Client Setup -> Brand -> Model with
>topic for each system, how much cleaner could it be?
>
> 
>We should capture information and put it on a Wiki.  A set of
>messages/problems do not necessarily fit one category, or is not posed in
>such a way to fit an existing category, but can be post-edited to follow
>some hierarchy.  If someone is having severe issues and can't categorize
>it as being their client, their server, or their switch, then most issues
>will originally end up in a catch all group anyway, or worse the wrong
>group. 
> 
>
>
>*Its able to be searched, no need to use Google, though we all love it,
>you need not take an extra step
>
>K12OSN can be searched also from the mailing list webpage I thought?  If
>not, then is using Google really that hard?  Some people may not realize
>there is a mailing list and by using Google they can find it, it will be
>much harder if Google can't spider our forum boards as easily. 
> 
>
>
>
>*We can rank members, give awards (special ranks), and if modded even
>more potentially
>
>I don't see a need for this.  Most people on the list are naturally
>helpful and don't have to be tossed trinkets such as a rank or award to
>help others out.
> 
>
>
>*We can moderators to help manage posts and topics, editing, and more is
>available.
>
>I for one am bogged down as it is with all the Linux and educational FOSS
>mailing lists I am on and I don't know if there are too many people that
>will raise their hands to do more work.  I also believe in the free and
>open flow of information, without moderators. 
> 
>
>
>*It is database driven, which we can export and move elsewhere is the
>time comes
>
>
>*It is convertible, most major forums convert between each other without
>topics loss
>
>These really don't count.  You assume we want a forum to begin with so
>not losing the information and converting the forum data to another forum
>system is a good thing.
> 
>
>
>*Member groups allows easy identification of developers, contributors,
>company reps, etc. and can be optional 
>
>Just have people add it to their signatures, but please no more then 6
>lines or 200 characters.
> 
>
>
>
>*You can still "subscribe" to topics and forums to still get email
>updates of events.
>
>This could be useful.
> 
>
>
>*We can make guides and topic solutions that can be submitted to the Wiki
>
>Nothing stopping us from doing it now.
> 
>
>
>*Because of categories the community can have "other" topics to help
>branch out beyond the scope mailing list 
>
>There are already other mailing lists and associations out there.  To
>think that we can take something that is very technical and branch out
>and get more members might be harder then you think.  Hosting for other
>groups or creating an umbrella association may be better, but then we
>already have SchoolForge. 
> 
>Darryl
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David N. Trask
Technology Teacher/Director
Vassalboro Community School
dtrask at vcsvikings.org
(207)923-3100