[Mageia-discuss] User support mailing list?

Sat Jun 4 02:07:16 CEST 2011

Remco Rijnders a écrit :
+> On Fri, Jun 03, 2011 at 08:32:10PM +0300, Ahmad Samir wrote:
+>> On 3 June 2011 17:30, Remco Rijnders <remco at webconquest.com> wrote:
+>>> Dear all,
+>>>
+>>> In the past few days since the release (and also before, but less
+>>> frequently) I notice a number of requests for help and assistance for a
+>>> variety of issues being posted on this list. To me this seems to be not
+>>> really on topic for this list which, to my understanding, is more
+>>> aimed at
+>>> discussing the direction of Mageia for future releases and the role
+>>> Mageia
+>>> should play in the larger free software community.
+>>>
+>>
+>> "Mageia-discuss is about Mageia general discussions: future plans,
+>> community, association, ... Feel free to ask any questions here."
+>> c.f. https://www.mageia.org/mailman/listinfo/mageia-discuss
+>>
+>> I am not sure, if the "any questions" part includes support, but I
+>> think so. History tells us that the higher the number of mailing lists
+>> the higher the number of unused-and-left-to-cobwebs mailing lists
+>> become...
+>
+> Would that not obsolete half our mailing lists though if "any questions"
+> are on topic on this list? I interpretate it as "any questions on the
+> aforementioned topics", though I agree that "..." leaves a lot of room
+> open to interpretation.
+>
+> I find it hard to believe though that a mageia-users@ list would end up
+> being a cobweb-list, though I could be wrong.
+>
+> To me, "discuss" is related to topics that warrant discussion. It's
+> about things where different and even opposing points of view may exist
+> and can be worked out through a series of communications back and forth.
+>
+> Support questions are not a discussion, they are simple matters of "I
+> have a problem, how do I get it it fixed for me?". There are no opposing
+> points of view, only different suggestions based on the interpretation
+> of what the poster's problem is and the understanding of it by the
+> helpful reader willing to assist. I can well understand that a person
+> subscribed to this list might not be interested in end-user questions,
+> just as much as a person needing or providing help might be interested
+> in "political bickering" on the mageia-discuss list.
+>
+> Thanks Ahmad for your feedback :)
+>
+> Remco
+
+I agree with Ahmad's interpretation.
+As well, I think you will get a better response on this discuss list than with a dedicated 
+user-help list.
+
+My reasoning :
+Many of those who would help you are interested in following the discussions.  If they see someone 
+needing assistance, and they can help, they will.  But they are not necessarily interested in 
+spending much time helping others.  As well, likely they would not be able to help with most 
+problems.  Those more strongly interested in helping others are probably already helping on the 
+forums, where it is easier to focus on particular problems needing solution.
+
+My 2 cents.
+
+-- 
+André
+