[matilda] A forum?

[atw]

Joe> What did other people think of the suggestion at Monday nights meeting to
Joe> have a discussion forum instead of an e-mail list so that you can just enter
Joe> into debates when and as you wish without having to open every single e-mail
Joe> (which when you haven't looked for a day can oft extend to two pages-worth)?


I suspect the problem is mainly for people with web based email
accounts which are a massive pain in the butt if you get a lot of
emails like this list generates.

If anyone using web based has access to a personal PC - rather than
say an instutional one - then I'd definitely recommend switching to
using an email client. The advantage is massive, and you can usually
retrieve your email via the web too if needs be.

Like Chris I prefer email lists - at least for the purpose of internal
discussions - for this they seem more appropriate. Discussion boards
seem more public somehow. (Yeah I know the list archives are open) For
those of us with email programs, lists are much quicker and much more
convenient.

Lists are also much better for people with dial up connections. If I
had to use a web forum with dial up I probably wouldn't bother coz
it'd be just too slow and costly.

Another issue with web based mail is space. I don't know about Hotmail
but Yahoo now allows uses up to 1Gb of space so there should be no
danger of filling up one's mailbox. I think you can also create
filters too - essential for email lists - I can't imagine using email
without filters. I'm currently subscribed to about 30 different lists
and without filters I'd be totally fucked (to put it politely).

Another option for those with web mail is surely simply to set your
list account up so you don't receive any emails at all. Then you can
check the debate via the archive. Would this not be pretty much the
same as having discussion board? Slightly less convenient maybe but
I'm not actually sure of even why bother receive emails if you email
is web based.



Joe> Is there flaws with this?  is it hard to set one up? I can just
Joe> about cope with the deluge of e-mails, because I realise that it
Joe> is under the debry and fumes of such a process that sometimes
Joe> good ideas are actually carved out and we do need the disscussion
Joe> list in some form- but why not a forum?


I think there are free corporate ones but they're paid for by
advertisers so we'd have to subject ourselves to advertising or pay.
The other option is to have our own one which would mean setting up
the software on a server somewhere. Access space could host it for
free. I think this would be preferable to the corporate option.

I'm not against the idea though I wouldn't want to close this list.

Finally I would say again if you use a private PC then do, do, do use
an email program instead of crappy webmail. The advantage when
combined with filters in terms of both speed and convenience is
massive. A good program is also helpful. I use the Bat which rocks.

If anyone needs help with this stuff or doesn't understand what I'm on
about speak up and I'll happily help.

steve



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