[matilda] A forum?

[Amparo P Gutierrez]

This is cool because i agree with you both: summarizing: email client 
much better than web-based mail, if you can afford it

and setting up autonomous ad-free forum while keeping this email list as 
it stands now.

I could also help if help was needed.



amparo


atw wrote:

> 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
> 
> 
>