The current mailing list has a web interface, supports different topics and threads within
each topic. So it's functionally equivalent to a forum, with the extra benefit of
being accessible via email client. Which makes me wonder what problem does having a
dedicated forum software solve.
I can see some prefer the UX of a forum over that of email. Then just treat hyperkitty as
a forum. On the website can say that we have a forum and link to the sudo-discuss archive
or sth.
Aug 7, 2025, 16:21 by sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org:
@Justin Thanks for articulating what I was already
feeling for the most part! Is there a FOSS MetaFilter/Slashdot style forum software that
would work anyways?
On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 12:03 PM Justin Morrison via sudo-discuss <>
sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org> > wrote:
> 2c:
>
> As a regular contributor to the Noisebridge Discord I can say this: The time
sink/overhead in participating with the very unwieldy and distracting platform that
Discord is, is completely at odds with the relative and sometimes near total neglect by
most members, and all but the most committed and engaged folks. Even when communicating
with board members and interest group stakeholders, for example, I often can't get a
response from them, on pertinent issues.
>
> I have not seen, as many assume, that because it's hip to have a Discord server,
you'll attract folks otherwise not attending to their email inbox. Noisebridge has
some 5,000+ members, of which I'd estimate there are 25 or fewer individuals who post
regularly and with useful content.
>
> I think it's an awful platform, where everything is grotesquely gamified, and one
can't avoid nudges to purchase "Nitro" and other digital doohickies. You do
not own your data. And the data is not at all portable.
>
> Certainly, there must be other usable options. Anything marginally more functional
that IRC with some threading and topic capabilities would be sufficient.
>
> In terms of participation in these platforms -vs- email, socials, etc: I think
there's a shift in culture away from paying attention consistently to pretty much
anything that's not being force fed into one's doom-scroll feed. Asking people to
thoughtfully participate in a forum, email list, or chat discussion platform>> will
attract those who already would put the time in, no matter what platform is used,>>
so the platform selected should cater to those who make the most effort>> (and
probably don't need entertaining features).
>
> Anything more would require a shift in the culture around our commitment to
communication and collaboration.
>
> --
> Justin Morrison>> w: >> justin.dance <http://justin.dance>
> i: >> @justindances <https://instagram.com/justindances>>> p:
213.700.6385
>
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