[K12OSN] Opinions on a Forum

Mon Nov 13 21:55:39 UTC 2006

Thanks for the input so far. I don't think I would want the mailing list to
stop or be replaced. I see your points, and like you all have said, if I
feel like there should be one to do it. I do agree with the points, and I
guess it is pro's and con's on everything.

I will see what features I can easily do with forums, which I can not. I am
not the well up on things like the torrents, but I am sure I can find out
information easily.

As for the forums > wiki, I hate the K12 Wiki, phpwiki just looks so
blah...I think that is my problem with most things...I hate massive lists, I
am very hierarchy and tree oriented. Plus, I like step by step instructions
and details, things a Wiki can be great for, but Wiki articles should be
clean, clear, and refined. I feel a forum can do that part, were a mailing
list goes on and on.

Again, thanks, and I will see how I feel and how others way in at. Hopefully
if I do get a forum up I can put aside enough time to contribute good topics
and set it up with some useful initial information.

Hopefully I can help make the community stronger, as I am just starting out
with K12LTSP I will likely  be making many mistakes and discoveries on my
own, so I hope I leech knowledge and give something back. Be it forums, or
if I decide not to that, perhaps we can get the Wiki together better.

On 11/13/06, Petre Scheie <petre at maltzen.net> wrote:
>
> Yes, I wish the k12ltsp wiki had a *prominent* link right on the first
> page of
> k12ltsp.org. OTOH, Ubuntu has Canonical driving it; k12ltsp just has...us.
> ;-)
>
> Petre
>
> David Trask wrote:
> > 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
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> K12OSN mailing list
> >> K12OSN at redhat.com
> >> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
> >> For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
> >
> >
> >
> > David N. Trask
> > Technology Teacher/Director
> > Vassalboro Community School
> > dtrask at vcsvikings.org
> > (207)923-3100
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > K12OSN mailing list
> > K12OSN at redhat.com
> > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
> > For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
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