On Friday, March 07, 2008, at 10:33AM, "David Artman" <david.artman@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: >I have not seen a modern forum system which does not allow e-mail >subscription. Ever. So folks who "threaten" pack up their toys and go home >if we move to a forum are just being willful (or ignorant). Period. Put me in the ignorant group. If I can configure a forum to work just like a mailing list for me, I'm happy. I can't go look at Joe's new forum thing to check it out, because most all forum sites are blocked by my employer (one reason I prefer a mailing list). >Google Groups allows the admin to specify the footer--thus, >it could be blank. But even THIS list has a footer, so even >THAT's a non-criticism. Google Apps is AWESOME. I replaced my company's monthly hosting bill with zero by moving to Google Apps. I haven't used the groups thing yet, though. If it can be configured as you say, and folks can set it to be able to send and receive to the group exclusively with their mail client, I say we do it. >(Cue tedious explanations about how every Official action requires hours of >agonized deliberation and communications to the four corners of the office, >etc....) Boy, your bitterness is showing, David. Have a beer. ;) >What never gets mentioned is that the list is actually inefficient, for some >things. Photos? Nope. Want to share a file? Go find hosting and hope your >message with your link is noticed (and can be found by a reasonable archive >search). Planning something? Where is the Calendar function on this list? >...Oh, right... lists don't have ANY other functionality other than group >e-mail management. Gee... Google Apps offers a lot here... >Folks, face the facts: those who want a list-like experience can have it >trivially, with a web group/forum. But those who want the groupware >functions offered by most forums and groupware applications... we're >screwed. The use of a listserv is, flatly, prejudicial with no real benefit >to those enforcing the prejudice. I can't speak for the others who were hotly on the "Keep The Mailing List" side of the fence in the previous fights, but nobody ever mentioned a solution that maintains the mailing list interface as well. I'll be that most were in the ignorance camp with me. :) >It's just, plain stupid. 1990 technology, defended only by blind >conservatives or people utterly terrified of change. Blind conservatives? Is that another way to describe the ignorance camp? ;) >NOW it's a fight? Happy? AAAAAAAAAAAAND in THIS corner... Topher