Why not use forum?

Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller hns at computer.org
Thu Jun 19 08:40:58 CEST 2008


Am 18.06.2008 um 21:08 schrieb Stroller:

>
> On 18 Jun 2008, at 12:45, Ewan Marshall wrote:
>> ...
>> Also how do you get unread message notification on forums?
>> ... forums only do whole threads, not individual post in thread.
>
> I've started using a new forum recently, there being no mailing-lists
> I can find for this particular subject, and am reminded how damned
> irritating this is.

Which forum software is there in use? There are differnt ones.
>
>
> The forum software shows which threads have new messages, but when I
> click on them I'm shown the whole page of upto 40 messages. I scroll
> through them and find something interesting, only to realise that I
> already read that message yesterday. I then have to scroll all the
> way to the bottom of the page to work out which messages within the
> thread are new. If the thread is a long one I have to then go to the
> next page & do the same thing again.
>
> This is the fundamental failing of forums, IMO, but the lack of

Is the generalization to all fora software systems valid?

>
> automatic quoting is also a considerable hindrance. As the thread

I know many fora which have automatic quoting.

>
> drifts away from the original topic you can't tell who is replying to
> whom. It is impossible to know what someone is referring to when they
> make a short post such as "I have that one too, and it's great" - is
> it the original device described in the message topic, or the
> alternative suggested by Dave a few posts in?

That is the same with mails (IMHO even worse).

My conclusion of all those discussions is:

	We need both in parallel.	
	Each system has its benefits and let's decide
	users themselves.

So please let this mailing list exist!

And if (and only if) you are interested in a forum or someone asks you  
why not to use a forum,
please refer to existing fora as e.g.:
	http://forums.makeopensource.com

	http://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showforum=161

	http://www.neo1973-germany.de (German)

Please also note that fora become more valuable by heavy useage.

Nikolaus






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