[mb-users] A ML... and a forum!?

[teknojnky]

> I think you can't compare mailing lists and web forums this way. They are
> different kind of medium. Both are good solutions, but for different 
> problems.

Agreed

> I can't imagine people doing serious discussion on forums,

Disagreed. There are an infinite number of forums where 'serious' discussion 
does take place.

That said, for 'serious', structured and disciplined discussion to take 
place, you do need an actively monitored, moderated and maintained medium 
(regardless if forum/list). Otherwise you typically end up with people 
ranting and raving and driving away rational discussion.

> and at the same time
> I can't imagine MB newbies asking questions why this and that doesn't work 
> on
> mailing lists. No-subscribe-MLs would help in this, but I'm not sure how 
> much
> would be people not used to mailing lists able to keep addresses in CC, 
> etc.

Of all the mailing lists I've ever subscribed, there are only 2 that were 
'discussion' lists, and one has been dead for 6+ months (mud-dev). 
Everything else was some sort of announcement list.

I've been around since 300 baud coupler modems and BBS's, and early 
internet. Mailing lists had their day (along with UUCP and GOPHER).

Those days are over.

And if MB and the MB community wants to join the rest of the world, then we 
need to use a communication medium that the rest of the world uses.

In my not so humble opinion, mailing lists should be reserved for 
announcement type notifications only. Everything else should be in a 
structured (and moderated where necessary) forum.

This is just my opinion.