24 Nov
2009
24 Nov
'09
3:16 p.m.
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
Cheers,
Andy
--
http://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
"It is I, Simon Quinlank. The chief conductor on the bus that is called
hobby." -- Simon Quinlank
24 Nov
24 Nov
3:19 p.m.
List is fine.
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 5:16 PM, Andy Smith <andy(a)bitfolk.com> wrote:
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
Cheers,
Andy
--
http://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
"It is I, Simon Quinlank. The chief conductor on the bus that is called
hobby." -- Simon Quinlank
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_______________________________________________
users mailing list
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https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
3:19 p.m.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm
willing to
be influenced by what people want.
I'd prefer a mailing list as I don't get time to check in on forums.
If the forum can email on new posts and give people the option of
unsubscribing from threads that aren't interesting then maybe that's a
half-way house?
Something that works the way Launchpad Answers does would be great
actually. It gives you the forum feel with good email support and the
ability to mark a thread as "solved" so people know there's no need to
read it unless it interests them.
Alex
This email carries a disclaimer, a copy of which may be read at
http://learning.longhill.org.uk/disclaimer
3:20 p.m.
I prefer a mailing list
On Tue, 2009-11-24 at 15:16 +0000, Andy Smith wrote:
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
Cheers,
Andy
_______________________________________________
users mailing list
users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
3:22 p.m.
mailing list
don't have time to check forums
or both - list for update / urgent real time info - web for chat / help /
advice
2009/11/24 Conrad Wood <cnw(a)conradwood.net>
I prefer a mailing list
On Tue, 2009-11-24 at 15:16 +0000, Andy Smith wrote:
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
Cheers,
Andy
_______________________________________________
users mailing list
users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
_______________________________________________
users mailing list
users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
3:27 p.m.
I'd say stick as is, but a forum might be useful for the chat / help
/advice as suggested by Stuart. A forum is definitely easier for that
kind of thing IMHO.
I'd definitely say to stick with the mailing list for important
announcements that need to be read ASAP.
James
2009/11/24 Stuart Criddle <stuart(a)criddle.com>om>:
mailing list
don't have time to check forums
or both - list for update / urgent real time info - web for chat / help /
advice
2009/11/24 Conrad Wood <cnw(a)conradwood.net>
I prefer a mailing list
On Tue, 2009-11-24 at 15:16 +0000, Andy Smith wrote:
_______________________________________________
users mailing list
users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
Cheers,
Andy
_______________________________________________
users mailing list
users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
_______________________________________________
users mailing list
users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users 
3:21 p.m.
2009/11/24 Andy Smith <andy(a)bitfolk.com>om>:
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web
forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
No, please no web forum. People using web forums never learned to use
a mail client properly.
Kind regards,
Anselm
3:22 p.m.
+1 for mailing list.
Andy Smith wrote:
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
Cheers,
Andy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
users mailing list
users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
This email was independently scanned for viruses by McAfee anti-virus software and none
were found
3:27 p.m.
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:16:40PM +0000, Andy Smith wrote:
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web
forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
This is likely to be a self-selecting group, as those people who
prefer to use forums are less likely be using a mailing list in the
first place...
That said, if there were a forum, I'd almost certainly stick with
the mailing list and never even look at the forum.
Hugo.
--
=== Hugo Mills: hugo@... carfax.org.uk | darksatanic.net | lug.org.uk ===
PGP key: 515C238D from wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net or http://www.carfax.org.uk
--- The trouble with you, Ibid, is you think you know everything. ---
3:32 p.m.
Hi Hugo,
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:27:39PM +0000, Hugo Mills wrote:
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:16:40PM +0000, Andy Smith
wrote:
Agreed - I also put the question out on twitter and on BitFolk's
facebook group. :)
I actually was not intending to even mention it on this list but
then figured I may as well as long as I bear that in mind.
Thanks for your views!
Cheers,
Andy
--
http://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a
web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
This is likely to be a self-selecting group, as those people who
prefer to use forums are less likely be using a mailing list in the
first place... 
3:39 p.m.
How about a Google Wave? :-)
-----Original Message-----
From: users-bounces+bitfolk=pjlewis.org(a)lists.bitfolk.com
[mailto:users-bounces+bitfolk=pjlewis.org@lists.bitfolk.com] On Behalf Of
Andy Smith
Sent: 24 November 2009 15:32
To: users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
Subject: Re: [bitfolk] Web forum instead of mailing lists?
Hi Hugo,
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:27:39PM +0000, Hugo Mills wrote:
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:16:40PM +0000, Andy Smith
wrote:
Agreed - I also put the question out on twitter and on BitFolk's
facebook group. :)
I actually was not intending to even mention it on this list but
then figured I may as well as long as I bear that in mind.
Thanks for your views!
Cheers,
Andy
--
http://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a
web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
This is likely to be a self-selecting group, as those people who
prefer to use forums are less likely be using a mailing list in the
first place...
4:52 p.m.
I have 11 invitations left if anyone is interested :>
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 5:39 PM, <bitfolk(a)pjlewis.org> wrote:
How about a Google Wave? :-)
-----Original Message-----
From: users-bounces+bitfolk=pjlewis.org(a)lists.bitfolk.com
[mailto:users-bounces+bitfolk <users-bounces%2Bbitfolk>=pjlewis.org@
lists.bitfolk.com] On Behalf Of
Andy Smith
Sent: 24 November 2009 15:32
To: users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
Subject: Re: [bitfolk] Web forum instead of mailing lists?
Hi Hugo,
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:27:39PM +0000, Hugo Mills wrote:
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:16:40PM +0000, Andy
Smith wrote:
Agreed - I also put the question out on twitter and on BitFolk's
facebook group. :)
I actually was not intending to even mention it on this list but
then figured I may as well as long as I bear that in mind.
Thanks for your views!
Cheers,
Andy
--
http://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
_______________________________________________
users mailing list
users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a
web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
This is likely to be a self-selecting group, as those people who
prefer to use forums are less likely be using a mailing list in the
first place... 
3:27 p.m.
Excerpts from Andy Smith's message of Tue Nov 24 15:16:40 +0000 2009:
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Mailing list for me please. No forums.
john
--
John Cooper
http://choffee.co.uk/
3:32 p.m.
+1 List is fine
+1 Forum not needed
Surely a list is much better at getting peoples attention is something
is actually going wrong that they would wish to be kept informed of.
Plus the BitFolk twitter feed (not sure if this is long term official
or not ... but) will be able to provide enough history if you don't
like hanging on to emails (and sends me SMS notifications).
As with the general consensus thus far I simply don't have enough time
to monitor a forum, plus there are plenty of other forums out there
should anyone have an issue.
~Mat
2009/11/24 Andy Smith <andy(a)bitfolk.com>om>:
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
Cheers,
Andy
--
http://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
"It is I, Simon Quinlank. The chief conductor on the bus that is called
hobby." -- Simon Quinlank
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_______________________________________________
users mailing list
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https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
3:57 p.m.
New subject: Twitter (Was Re: Web forum instead of mailing lists?)
Hi Mat,
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:32:44PM +0000, Mat Johns wrote:
Plus the BitFolk twitter feed (not sure if this is
long term official
or not ... but) will be able to provide enough history if you don't
like hanging on to emails (and sends me SMS notifications).
Just to clarify, the Twitter thing seems to work well so will
definitely be kept in some form. More microblogging integrations
are likely also (like Nagios alerts via direct message, for
example).
Cheers,
Andy
--
http://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
"Outlook, the exploding Pinto on the information superhighway."
-- Sean Donelan
6:53 p.m.
New subject: Twitter (Was Re: Web forum instead of mailing lists?)
Andy Smith wrote:
Hi Mat,
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:32:44PM +0000, Mat Johns wrote:
Is there an output module for nagios that can send alerts to a twitter
account?
Tony
Plus the BitFolk twitter feed (not sure if this
is long term official
or not ... but) will be able to provide enough history if you don't
like hanging on to emails (and sends me SMS notifications).
Just to clarify, the Twitter thing seems to work well so will
definitely be kept in some form. More microblogging integrations
are likely also (like Nagios alerts via direct message, for
example).
8:08 p.m.
New subject: Twitter (Was Re: Web forum instead of mailing lists?)
Hello,
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 06:53:29PM -0000, Tony Whitmore wrote:
Is there an output module for nagios that can send
alerts to a twitter
account?
Have not looked and I'm currently using a very old version of
Nagios. But it's trivial to feed alerts to a script so it doesn't
seem more than a few minutes' work to make them go to twitter.
For me the time consuming part will be integration with a customer
database and the associated web interface for customers to update
this.
Cheers,
Andy
--
http://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
25 Nov
25 Nov
10:16 a.m.
New subject: Twitter (Was Re: Web forum instead of mailing lists?)
Hello,
On Tue, November 24, 2009 20:08, Andy Smith wrote:
Have not looked and I'm currently using a very old
version of
Nagios. But it's trivial to feed alerts to a script so it doesn't
seem more than a few minutes' work to make them go to twitter.
Correct, it's trivial to send to twitter with either BASH (using curl)
scripting or Perl using something like the Net::Twitter CPAN module. Both
routes means literally less than 10 lines of code to do a tweet/dent, and
it works equally well on either Twitter or Identica (same web API).
For me the time consuming part will be integration
with a customer
database and the associated web interface for customers to update
this.
I agree, this is going to mean some fancy footwork! :-)
--
Regards,
Jan Henkins
24 Nov
24 Nov
8:31 p.m.
New subject: Twitter (Was Re: Web forum instead of mailing lists?)
I used the following for about 20 minutes a year ago, the novelty wore
off pretty quickly.
define command {
command_name notify-by-twitt
command_line /usr/bin/curl --basic --user "user:password"
--data-ascii "status=[Nagios] $NOTIFICATIONTYPE$
$HOSTALIAS$/$SERVICEDESC$ is $SERVICESTATE$"
http://twitter.com/statuses/update.json
}
define command {
command_name host-notify-by-twitt
command_line /usr/bin/curl --basic --user "user:password"
--data-ascii "status=[Nagios] $HOSTSTATE$ alert for $HOSTNAME$"
http://twitter.com/statuses/update.json
}
Taken from here originally, if I remember correctly:
http://nohn.net/blog/view/id/abusing_twitter_for_nagios_im_and_sms_notifica…
--
Joey
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 6:53 PM, Tony Whitmore <tony(a)tonywhitmore.co.uk> wrote:
Andy Smith wrote:
Hi Mat,
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:32:44PM +0000, Mat Johns wrote:
Is there an output module for nagios that can send alerts to a twitter
account?
Tony
_______________________________________________
users mailing list
users(a)lists.bitfolk.com
https://lists.bitfolk.com/mailman/listinfo/users
Plus the BitFolk twitter feed (not sure if this
is long term official
or not ... but) will be able to provide enough history if you don't
like hanging on to emails (and sends me SMS notifications).
Just to clarify, the Twitter thing seems to work well so will
definitely be kept in some form. More microblogging integrations
are likely also (like Nagios alerts via direct message, for
example). 
3:37 p.m.
2009/11/24 Andy Smith <andy(a)bitfolk.com>om>:
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm
willing to be
influenced by what people want.
Mailing list.
I'm not going to say I wont read a forum because I don't have time,
because I piss about on IRC enough to show that I clearly _do_ have
time, I just choose not to use it on forums. :)
Hateful, hateful things, forums.
Cheers,
Al.
3:40 p.m.
On 24/11/09 15:16, Andy Smith wrote:
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm
willing to be
influenced by what people want.
100% forums for me :)
Being able to search through older stuff is useful, and although having
service updates etc. going via mail is great, a lot of the other
discussions are pretty software-specific / problem-specific and of
limited interest usually.
Ta
Alex.
3:41 p.m.
Andy Smith wrote:
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
I would say you need a mailing list for certain things whether or not
you have a forum in addition to it.
I don't want to have to check a forum regularly not to miss "planned
outage" messages.
n
3:44 p.m.
2009/11/24 Andy Smith <andy(a)bitfolk.com>om>:
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Ultimately, forums can be set up to email all posts to users and were
they to stay low traffic as this list tends to be, that ought not be a
problem.
In addition, if I remember correctly, it's also possible to reply to
forum posts by email with some software.
My opinion - if there's a serious wish for a forum from a significant
number of people, then a forum which serves more as a "web front-end"
to a mailing list would be most suitable. I'm not entirely sure if
such a thing exists, though I do vaguely remember using one in the
past.
Martin
4:47 p.m.
Hello Andy,
On Tue, November 24, 2009 15:16, Andy Smith wrote:
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Personally I am not a fan of web forums, but I'm willing to be
influenced by what people want.
As a primary means of comms, a mailing list is always best. I vote to keep
the list as it is, forums does not work well in this regard. We have
Lurker to search the archives effectively.
What web forums offer that mailing lists typically does not, is a somewhat
structured way to collaborate on topics, combined with some searching
fascilities (OK, so does our list with Lurker, so no clear win there). The
web-based interface can be a drawing card, as I can see at least one
person said "+1 forum". Still, too much noise happens in forums to be of
real collaborative use, people are too free-form to fit into square boxes
(topics) in any case. I thing that a better combo would be the mailing
list as it is, backed up with a WIKI or something similar, if and when the
Bitfolk community wants to support each other with FAQ and HOWTO material.
For the rest, I really enjoy the Twitter/Identi.ca tweets and dents, it
adds a nice dimention. Did somebody mention Google Wave? I've got an
account and I'm willing to give it a bash!
--
Regards,
Jan Henkins
5:46 p.m.
On 24 Nov 2009, at 15:16, Andy Smith wrote:
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web
forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
Mailing list works fine at the moment.
WiKi for "how-tos" etc?
Twitter for alerts (and the mailing list too).
Maybe Wave for discussions in the future.
Forum isn't really needed at the moment, IMO.
Cheers,
/Jocke
9:20 p.m.
On 24/11/09 18:54, Tony Whitmore wrote:
Andy Smith wrote:
+1 for the mailing list and 40 mails a day is nothing with a good filter
and threading.
Tom
Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
This mailing list meets my needs (apart from when I get 40 e-mails in one
afternoon.) 
9:49 p.m.
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 09:20:16PM +0000, Thomas Ellis wrote:
On 24/11/09 18:54, Tony Whitmore wrote:
+1 for the list and agreed about a threading MUA. Web forums are
generally nasty clunky things.
Andy Smith wrote:
+1 for the mailing list and 40 mails a day is nothing with a good filter
and threading. Hello,
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
This mailing list meets my needs (apart from when I get 40 e-mails in one
afternoon.) 
25 Nov
25 Nov
2:33 p.m.
On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 03:16:40PM +0000, Andy Smith wrote:
I'd like to canvas your opinions on using a web
forum instead of
this mailing list as the primary BitFolk customer communication
method.
doesn't sound like you really need it, but I'll chuck in my $0.02
+1 for a mailing list over web forums (which fail big time compared to
using a *proper* MUA).
Any argument about searchability or history or history browsing for
new/non-subscribers can easily be answered by an archivist like MarkMail
(http://markmail.org)
Cheers,
--
Darren Davison
Public Key: 0xE855B3EA
5505
days inactive
5506
days old
28 comments
23 participants
participants (23)
-
Adam Spiers -
Alan Pope -
Alex Harrington -
Alex Hudson -
Ander Punnar -
Andy Smith -
Anselm R Garbe -
bitfolk＠pjlewis.org -
Chris Keegan -
Conrad Wood -
Darren Davison -
Hugo Mills -
James Gregory -
Jan Henkins -
Jocke Selin -
Joey Walsh -
John Cooper -
Martin Peeks -
Mat Johns -
Nigel Rantor -
Stuart Criddle -
Thomas Ellis -
Tony Whitmore