Why not use forum?

Thu Jun 19 11:59:18 CEST 2008

Op Thursday 19 June 2008 08:40:58 schreef Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller:
> 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?

I know in phpBB there's a link to the messages from the specified thread you 
haven't read yet.

>
> > 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

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 194 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part.
Url : http://lists.openmoko.org/pipermail/community/attachments/20080619/e21ff2c3/attachment.pgp 