[Playlist] Re: community software for supporting users (was Re: "Using the XSPF")

[Bjorn Wijers]

Hi Lucas et al,

Sorry for the late reply, I was enjoying some time off.

> Some cons --
> 
> My perception is that we haven't yet been really overwhelmed by these 
> questions in this list, so this isn't yet necessary.  How do other 
> people feel about this?  Am I in the minority?

Well, lately there have been some more questions on the list, mainly 
about integration of XSPF players into websites. When people know 
they'll get an answer on this list it will probably cause more people to 
ask user-related questions. I'd rather 'educate' people from the 
beginning and make sure they go to the right place to ask these 
questions than trying to steer in the right direction when a precedent 
has been set. So, yes we're not overwhelmed yet, but I'd like to be 
prepared and handle this before it starts to grow.

> People who have a hard time just setting up a Flash player are probably
> not going to be able to manage a mailing list.  These users would be
> better served by a web forum.

I think this might be a little bit to presumptious. Although it wouldn't 
hurt to have both (mailinglist and webforum) with a gateway between 
them. One can use whichever fits best.

> We'd need to achieve critical mass of people helping out and answering
> questions.  That's not so easy.

True, but we're not overwhelmed (yet). Its basically a start and to make 
sure we set the right precedent. User questions go to the user 
mailinglist, developer questions go to the dev list. In order to start 
can have a few dev volunteers (such as myself) checking out both lists.

> 
> Some pros --
> 
> Doing a better job of helping out the users would be a good thing.

Agree.

> A unified help channel for all XSPF tools would put these tools into
> more direct competition, and that competition would ultimately lead to
> better tools.

Agree

> 
> I personally get a lot of user-level XSPF questions in the mail and I'd
> like to have a better place to direct people than the musicplayer forums.

And for that matter, a lot of the questions seem to repeat, so we might 
even include a FAQ which removes even more burden of you and a possible 
list ;)

> 
> Now, let me add something to this conversation -- the state of the
> applications list at xspf.org.  That list is now too big for the concept
> of one big page to make sense.  What we need is something along the
> lines of a portal for users.
> 
> This portal would help users find finished software for creating and
> rendering playlists.  It would also help them collaborate to debug
> problems.  It would also help them share tips about using XSPF software
> in specific contexts, such as on livejournal.
> 
> So let's say that there existed a web site at a domain like 
> "xspfhelp.com".  This site would have a directory of readers (meaning 
> players and content resolvers) and authoring tools, plus an excellent 
> set of forums. People who prefer mailing lists would subscribe to forum
> notifications.  To simplify administration the entire site, from front
> page to FAQ, could be a single set of forums.
> 
> Developers would be motivated to support this site because it made their
> lives easier.  The reader developers wouldn't have to answer questions
> about authoring problems, the authoring developers wouldn't have to
> answer questions about player problems.  Also, new experimental software
> and adventurous users would be able to find each other.
> 
> ...
> 
> Maybe I will do that myself, I don't know.  It wouldn't be hard.  The 
> reason not to is that it will distract me from supporting developers, 
> which is my current role.
> 
> Thoughts?

I totally agree. I would suggest using Vanilla Forums for this and start 
setting it up. I would volunteer to help out with this.

grtz
BjornW