[ripe-list] The Future of Discussion Lists

Hi Leo, all:

You raise a fair question, Leo. However, I'm also inclined to think that
we're going a bit in circles. As others have highlighted, we have tried
other channels (like the Forum, but not exclusively that), and it's not
really worked. There's also multiple social media channels, a
Telegram channel, and other formal and informal communications methods.

I think there's merit in experimenting with new methods and channels (I
think starting a RIPE DIscord channel, for instance, would be great if
there's not one already). But email continues to be the most reliable form
of communication I've come across throughout the Internet community, as it
allows for asynchronous communication in an organised way (based on
interests and sub-communities), anyone can easily join (via the signup
form) as well as unsubscribe or switch to a digest, it's easily archivable,
and it's easy to translate / accessible.

I agree with Joe that it's a sociological, not engineering issue – i.e.,
how we make people feel welcome, how we communicate with each other, and
how we collectively agree to share information.

For these reasons, I think it would be a shame to eliminate the lists.
Other methods can complement if necessary/desired, but shouldn't replace
IMO.

Best,
-Michael Oghia


On Fri, May 26, 2023 at 1:18 PM Joe Abley <jabley at strandkip.nl> wrote:

> Hi Leo!
>
> On Fri, May 26, 2023 at 09:41, Leo Vegoda <leo at vegoda.org
> <On+Fri,+May+26,+2023+at+09:41,+Leo+Vegoda+%3C%3Ca+href=>> wrote:
>
> - 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?
>
>
> I find e-mail far preferable to slack-like things, certainly far
> preferable to web-like things in general. I have abandoned all social media
> in the interests of living a more pleasant life. E-mail for me is about all
> that is left. However, I am old and rubbish and I don't think the
> requirements of dinosaurs should drive decisions about the future of
> mammals.
>
> I do think a simple comparison of the traffic on this list and the size
> of the community suggests that something is a bit out of whack. Maybe
> e-mail is a poor tool for discussions; maybe people have nothing to say;
> maybe a big audience is intimidating; maybe dinosaurs are annoying.
>
> It seems very possible that the answer to these kinds of questions lie in
> sociology and not engineering.
>
>
> Joe
>
> --
>
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