[plug] Forum Software

[Bernd Felsche]

Tim Bowden <tim.bowden at westnet.com.au> wrote:
>On Thu, 2007-07-26 at 12:01 +0800, Bernd Felsche wrote:
>> Cameron Patrick <cameron at patrick.wattle.id.au> wrote:
>> >W.Kenworthy wrote:

>> There are other options... such as increasing the exposure of the
>> plug.* newsgroups.

>> Unlike forums, the user interface is completely under the control
>> of the user. They can have silly animations to represent smilies and
>> vor people who want to be seen, include article headers with ugly
>> mugshots (aka avatars).

>> At least users of newsgroups have the option of using a real text
>> editor.

>NNTP was fabulous in it's day, but it's lost mindshare.  For good or

Well; you can use another protocol (one that's shiny and has
blinking lights) to transfer news. :-)

>ill, it doesn't look like it will ever make it back.  Most linux newbies
>won't even know it exists.  Even if we promote it as a support option,
>they won't grok it.

Why? There are a few usable interfaces for NN[TR]P built into web
browsers and email clients. There are dozens of dedicated Usenet
clients; both GUI and ChUI; especially for Linux.

Some of the better newsreaders are often "old" but still gold.

>As far as using a decent text editor goes, the bulk of the computer
>using population has a hard time grasping the idea that you would want
>(or even that there could exist) an alternative to MS Word or textpad.
>These are the people who will increasingly be knocking at our door as
>family/friends have set them up with a linux system.  They will start
>turning to groups like us for support.  We need to be able to cater for
>this if we are to achieve world domination [1]

Those are the people sick of striving to be mediocre.

Do we show them the wide *open* spaces that offer freedom of choice
or do we move them from their existing cage into one that's got the
furniture re-arranged?
-- 
/"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia
\ /  ASCII ribbon campaign | The object of life is not to be on the side of 
 X   against HTML mail     | the majority but to escape finding oneself in
/ \  and postings          | the ranks of the insane.  -- Marcus Aurelius