In message <Pine.LNX.4.21.0005040128500.949-100000@jack.pacbell.net>, Eugene Er
ic Kim writes:
>On Wed, 3 May 2000, Lee Iverson wrote:
>
>> I respectfully disagree. In my opinion:
>
>I don't disagree with your points in theory; I just think that the
>weaknesses of existing implementations and the strengths of e-mail make
>e-mail a more compelling medium for this sort of thing, at least for
>me. Many of the benefits that you raise are shared by USENET
>newsgroups. I have yet to find a web-based discussion forum that makes me
>as happy as GNUS, in terms of usability and convenience.
>
>In particular, I haven't found Slashdot's interface particularly conducive
>to following discussions. However, with a smaller community and with
>Squishdot's moderation features, many of Slashdot's interface problems may
>not apply to us.
>
>In summary, I'd prefer a mailing list, properly archived, to using a
>web-based discussion forum. However, if people think that a Squishdot
>system is better, I'm certainly game to trying it, at least until our
>steroid-enhanced OHS replaces it.
Actually, I agree almost completely with what you say here. One of
the obvious (to me at least) extensions of Slash/SquishDot that I want
to enable ASAP is the ability for a user to "prefer" to receive email
notifications of "significant" events (e.g. replys to posts, new
articles etc.) In that way, you get the "push" advantages of email
*and* the "pull" advantages of Web forums together. Ideally, you'd be
able to choose to follow and contribute to an entire discussion by
email if you prefer that interface. That is, as long as the pool of
participants is small enough. There ain't no chance of something on
the scale of SlashDot working by email.
Clearly there is a role for both email and Web-based stuff like this.
I wouldn't really suggest doing development without email and chat, I
just think that there is a place for all of these pieces of the
puzzle. Focused, specific and small-audience discussions work best by
email as long as there is a shared product that is being developed and
the email is properly archived. For most other things, the immediacy
of email is not actually needed and the advantages of full-fledged Web
integration that dynamic web sites can provide (up to now only really
as a potential) is just huge.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lee Iverson SRI International
leei@ai.sri.com 333 Ravenswood Ave., Menlo Park CA 94025
http://www.ai.sri.com/~leei/ (650) 859-3307
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