[ripe-list] The Future of Discussion Lists

I personally would like to see more interactive alternatives be officially
recognized, while mail is great for archival and for a-sync communications it
is dated and not very alluring to newer players in the market.

Another upside is of course that pretty much everyone have mail access while
anything else would require agreeing across the community on a tool we are all
okay with.


But my opinion is strongly that i would like to see something complement the
use of mailing lists but not replace.


Regards,

Mathias W.

West digital Management AB.


    --------------------Original message--------------------
    From: Leo Vegoda <leo at vegoda.org>
    Sent: Friday, May 26, 2023 10:07
    To: ripe-list at ripe.net
    Subject: [ripe-list] The Future of Discussion Lists

   
    Dear RIPE community,

    At yesterday’s community plenary I asked whether mailing lists are
    sustainable as our main communication channel. For those who were not
    able to attend, the slide and a recording are available here:

    - https://ripe86.ripe.net/wp-content/uploads/presentations/12-Mailing-Lists-RIPE-86.pdf
    - https://ripe86.ripe.net/archives/video/1115

    I am obviously concerned that discussion lists might not serve us with
    fidelity in the future. If that is the case, I want us to manage any
    change we need to make. We should not be bounced into rapid change.

    There was more discussion than I expected. I’m sending this message to
    ask the questions:

    - Am I wrong? Are e-mail discussion lists a sustainable communication
    channel for the foreseeable future?
    - Are e-mail discussion lists an acceptable technology to people
    joining the industry?

    The text below is similar to something I shared with the WG Chairs
    several months ago.

    Kind regards,.

    Leo

    ripe-781 describes four fundamental principles supporting our policy
    development process. The first two principles are openness and
    transparency.

    Changes in the treatment of e-mail by large industry players presents
    a challenge to these two principles.

    In 1992, when ripe-001 was published, anyone could run e-mail services
    on any Internet infrastructure they could use. It is now far more
    difficult to run e-mail services. Technology developments, like DMARC,
    have made discussion mailing lists less effective.

    Validation failures increase the probability of messages being treated
    as junk. Subscribers to RIPE's discussion lists will miss messages
    when their e-mail services provider treats them as junk.

    When a legitimate message to a RIPE discussion list is treated as junk
    the sender's voice has been moderated by a third-party mail provider.
    RIPE's transparency is diminished when its discussion lists are
    subjected to gatekeeping by third-party mail providers.

    In 1992, e-mail was an improvement to postal services and telephony
    protocols. In 2023, we have a wide choice of communication protocols
    and platforms.

    I believe that new protocols and platforms are preferred over e-mail
    by potential participants in RIPE at the start of their careers. We
    want these people to take part in RIPE. They are the future of
    coordination for the operators of IP networks in Europe and the rest
    of the world.

    We must offer all current and potential participants in RIPE an
    effective set of tools. Any tools we use must support the principles
    of openness and transparency.

    An ideal set of tools might have features like this:

    1. An open protocol available for implementation by anyone.
    2. Free(ly available) software implementations for popular operating
    systems (Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows).
    3. Allows a user to choose to have activity pushed to them. They must
    not be forced to maintain a login to be informed of activity they are
    interested in.
    4. A public archive that cannot be retrospectively edited (barring
    exceptional situations).

    While the technology choices need to support the principles of
    openness and transparency, they do not need to do all the work.
    Announcements, blog posts, and other kinds of communications can be
    built into our processes.

    The combination of technology and process can make the whole more effective.

    --

    To unsubscribe from this mailing list, get a password reminder, or change your subscription options, please visit: https://mailman.ripe.net/

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