[syslinux] Web Forum for SysLinux

Kim Mik kimmik999999 at yahoo.co.uk
Fri Jul 31 17:26:31 PDT 2009


In my opinion, mailing lists and webforums both suck.

Mailing lists:
- If you are not registered on the mailing list, you can't reply to an existing message.
- You inbox gets 'spammed' with messages which doesn't interest you (you can unsubscribe,
  but maybe you want to post again in the future). (Not what you want if you only want to solve your
  specific problem)
- In my case, some messages of the mailing lists go to the spam folder and they are only available
  several hours after I have read them on the syslinux archives page.
- I rather read the Syslinux archives because it gives a more hierachial view of the messages and responses.
- registering to a mailing list seems to be an extra bondary for most people compare to a forum (so less 'noob questions')
  this also means, less general response
- If you aren't registered to the mailing list, it is a bit difficult to search for know answers (because you don't have all messages in your inbox)

Webforums:
 - Best way to search is in most cases:
     - with google: site:http://www.siteofintrest keywords
     - forum search sucks a lot, in most cases
 - Tread hijacking (especially with long existing treads)
 - You only get notified when someone replies to your post.
 - More "noobs':
   * that ask silly questions (RTFM)
   * that try to help you but that don't have any actual clue (depends on the forum of course)
 - If topics aren't to large, you can view all responses on one page.

I am sure I forgot several point.

Gert Hulselmans




----- Original Message ----
From: H. Peter Anvin <hpa at zytor.com>
To: For discussion of Syslinux and tftp-hpa <syslinux at zytor.com>
Sent: Friday, 31 July, 2009 22:52:26
Subject: Re: [syslinux] Web Forum for SysLinux

On 07/31/2009 12:50 PM, Miller, Shao wrote:
> Regarding web forums at Boot-Land versus this mailing list for
> discussion of Syslinux and tftp-hpa:
> 
> The original request was not really a matter to vote about, as in, there
> is zero consideration for removing the mailing list and switching to web
> forums; there's no switch involved.  Nuno Brito hosts a popular web
> forum site for discussion of booting computers and other crazy things.
> He merely asked if his Syslinux-specific area could be an "official"
> one.
> 
> While this mailing list and the Syslinux web site itself are official,
> Nuno is quite right in that Syslinux' scope of audience is increased by
> a sanctioned discussion forum at Boot-Land.
> 
> I personally don't think that an official web forum would belong
> anywhere but the Syslinux web site, and it's not happening, so an
> "unofficial" one hosted by Boot-Land, perhaps with links from the
> official Syslinux web site, seems to be the next best thing.
> 
> There's really nothing to vote about, unless you're voting to request
> that Nuno _not_ host a Syslinux forum, which would seem silly to me.
> Maybe I'm wrong and this actually _is_ a vote to switch from mailing
> list to web forum?  If so, I missed when it started, and I vote for both
> without any switch, since it's not costing anything...
> 

Well, there is a cost, and one of the costs is that I don't have time to
monitor a webforum, so I'd have to depend on other people to do it.
However, that's pretty much *already* the case, since there is active
discussions on Bootland.  It's probably better to concentrate the
webforum traffic to Bootland rather than having it spread to a bunch of
walled gardens all over the web.

I truly do hate the concept of webforums, though.  It's like Usenet only
without the good parts.

    -hpa

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