Re: off-topic discussions [was: A poem using localizable sentences]

From: Asmus Freytag (asmusf@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Sun Jan 17 2010 - 02:50:13 CST

  • Next message: William J Poser: "Re: off-topic discussions"

    On 1/15/2010 5:38 AM, John (Eljay) Love-Jensen wrote:
    > Hi Chris,
    >
    >
    >> Is this sort of thing and threads on things like 7-sided dice remotely on-topic on this list?
    >>
    >
    > No, absolutely not.
    >
    > However, some of us enjoy these tangential discussions.
    >
    > I suggest that a unicode-community@unicode.org distribution list be created,
    John,

    I definitely agree with your sense of "community" here. However,...

    Distribution lists are not the proper tool for this situation, because
    you can't tailor your attention flexibly enough. You need to subscribe
    to all list that could have a potentially interesting discussion, just
    to be sure not to miss it. And you are forced to administer a flow of
    irrelevant items.

    Forum software has improved dramatically since Unicode started out, and
    in my view would be the right technology to allow this group to engage
    in its deep technical discussions 90% of the time, but handle the
    occasional digression in a way that is both flexible and structured.

    In a forum, the off-topic items can be identified and re-organized (if
    need be) so that they don't clutter up the works for those trying to
    focus on the raw technical stuff, yet they are just a few clicks away if
    anyone feels like a little diversion.

    Not only the off-topic stuff can be organized in a forum, but also the
    technical stuff could be sorted by broad topic area, so that the record
    of the discussion is more immediately usable by those needing or wanting
    to backtrack. With various subscription technologies, you can keep up
    with what's happening, without having to check actively - if that's your
    preference.

    All in all, I think that this would be a good fit for this community and
    this organization and this discussion.

    But please, not more mail lists!

    A./



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