Re: [gentoo-devrel] Proposal of Change to the Gentoo User Relations Project

[George Prowse]

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Ciaran McCreesh wrote:
> On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 17:33:58 +0000 George Prowse
> <cokehabit2003@××××××××.uk> wrote:
> | > Perhaps you should consider *why* this is the case. There are
> | > plenty of changes that could be made to the forums that would make
> | > them much less inaccessible to developers.
> | >
> | Actually the forums are fine as they are. They are a tried and tested
> | formula and the main place that those need help go. That alone should
> | give you an idea.
> |
> | If you could point out some *actual* problems then maybe we could
> | suggest some solutions.
>
> You've said it yourself. One *actual* problem is that there aren't
> enough developers posting there. Perhaps someone should consider asking
> why this is the case.

We have some developers who use the forums a lot, like the ones i
pointed out to you earlier. I can imagine that one of the main reasons
that developers dont use the forums is that they prefer to spend their
time developing their Gentoo projects while others find the time to help
those who need it on the forums. Neither person is right or wrong they
just prefer to benefit Gentoo in differing ways. Dont forget the
International developers as well...
>
> You can have two answers from me for free. These may or may not overlap
> with what you'll get from other developers.
>
> The first is that finding anything relevant amongst all the noise is
> extremely difficult. The search function utterly sucks (try searching
> for 'vim', 'fluxbox' or 'ciaranm'), so mostly I only go to threads
> when someone points me to them via another medium.

That has been noted and Ian! is building a new search function from
scratch. Other things that would possibly help would be the ability to
exclude forums from the search and perhaps splitting some of the forums up.

The very fact that the database is so large is testament to the
continuing popularity of the forums.

> The second is that the amount of nonsense up with which I have to put
> from forums users is surpassed only by the amount of nonsense that
> comes from forum mods (perfect example: the eventual introduction of the
> unsupported software forum after months and months of refusals and
> complaints to devrel whenever such a forum was suggested). Compare the
> average thread on the -user list with the average thread on the forums,
> for example. The -user list very much conveys the impression that it's
> there for technical discussion. The forums, on the other hand, is often
> much more oriented towards getting a high postcount, ricing and seeing
> who can make the best "Gentoo developers are elitist" comments.

Perhaps if you treated people with a little more respect then they would
have some more for you. If you have a complaint take it up with devrel,
you are in the correct place.

> Neither of these answers will, on its own, be enough to help you solve
> the "not enough developers on the forums" issue. Nor will it help if
> you claim that "the forums are fine as they are". Why not try finding
> out from other developers why they think the forums are not fine?
>
Why bother when we have you to speak for all developers?
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