Can Ansible consider switching from Google Groups to a Discourse instance?

Archives Ansible Project
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I did a search, and I think the last time switching from mailing lists to a forum was discussed was in 2014 here: https://groups.google.com/d/topic/ansible-project/3NkSXNxULFw/discussion

Can Ansible consider switching from Google Groups to a Discourse instance?

Elastic.co did so. It seemed like a successful move for them. Mozilla has one.

So far, my experience using Discourse has always been far superior to Google Groups or other mailing lists.

I believe Discourse offers the ability to interact with it the same way you interact with Google Groups via email.

Some of the things I thing would benefit us all:

  • Markdown formatting
  • Marking a response as a solution
  • Auto searching for similar topics.

What does everyone else think?

What are the pro’s for Google Groups?

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I don’t think this would happen. I have asked the core team about switching from Google groups to a mailman 3 instance that has a forum-like interface to the archives but there didn’t seem to be any other interest in that.

-Toshio

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mailman has a forum like interface? I thought it was just a pure email only app…

You learn something new every day… :slight_smile:

Would you prefer a Discourse instance to Google Groups, though? Maybe if enough people want it, the core team would consider it.

  • David
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I did a search, and I think the last time switching from mailing lists to a
forum was discussed was in 2014 here:
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/ansible-project/3NkSXNxULFw/discussion

Can Ansible consider switching from Google Groups to a Discourse instance?

I for one hope that will never happen.

Elastic.co did so. It seemed like a successful move for them. Mozilla has
one.

So far, my experience using Discourse has always been far superior to
Google Groups or other mailing lists.

My experience is the opposite, nothing beats mailing list.

Some of the things I thing would benefit us all:

* Markdown formatting

I don't see that, plain text with monospace font is better.

What does everyone else think?

What are the pro's for Google Groups?

I find forum hard to use, all people top post so you don't know what they are replaying to (I know, a lot of people do that here also).
Threading doesn't work properly, technical and because people don't replay to a post, but to the thread.
On a forum you need to create yet another account.

5

I don’t see that, plain text with monospace font is better.
I’ve been reading a book about a javascript library on my tablet lately. I tried changing some of the color settings in order to make it easier to read. That messed up the code syntax colors, so all I was left with was a different font and indenting. That was much harder to read than a color coded syntax. So there is definitely a large amount of personal preference in this area.

Also, on Discourse, you can use markdown if you want, or not.

I find forum hard to use, all people top post so you don’t know what they are replaying to (I know, a lot of people do that here also).
Threading doesn’t work properly, technical and because people don’t replay to a post, but to the thread.

Heh, I’d say the exact opposite. Email threads are horrid to read. Trying to find the right reply in any mailing list archive is an exercise in frustration. When the threads break off into separate conversations, it’s impossible to get a good view of the whole topic, it’s just terrible.

On a forum you need to create yet another account.
Not necessarily true. Discourse allows sign on with github, google, etc.

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> I don't see that, plain text with monospace font is better.

I've been reading a book about a javascript library on my tablet lately. I
tried changing some of the color settings in order to make it easier to
read. That messed up the code syntax colors, so all I was left with was a
different font and indenting. That was much harder to read than a color
coded syntax. So there is definitely a large amount of personal preference
in this area.

It always comes don't to personal preference and what you are used to.

Also, on Discourse, you can use markdown if you want, or not.

The problem is not what I do, the problem is when other is using markdown.
How it would look like in a text only mail client.

There are some that is using HTML on this list, and reference the text in blue or the bold text, since I use text only I don't see that and can't help them.

> I find forum hard to use, all people top post so you don't know what they
> are replaying to (I know, a lot of people do that here also).
> Threading doesn't work properly, technical and because people don't
> replay to a post, but to the thread.

Heh, I'd say the exact opposite. Email threads are horrid to read. Trying
to find the right reply in any mailing list archive is an exercise in
frustration. When the threads break off into separate conversations, it's
impossible to get a good view of the whole topic, it's just terrible.

If the threads break off into separate conversations that has nothing to do with the subject the subject must change.
If it's related but separated I like that, because it that is not a interesting sub-thread I can ignore that sub-thread.
But this also boils down to personal preference.

> On a forum you need to create yet another account.

Not necessarily true. Discourse allows sign on with github, google, etc.

I don't like using account to log in to completely different account/provider because of privacy issues.
With mailinglist I only need an email address to participate.

7

I would much prefer google groups to anything else. Please do not change!