On Sat, Dec 8, 2012 at 9:48 AM, Patrick Shanahan <paka@opensuse.org> wrote:
* Greg Freemyer <greg.freemyer@gmail.com> [12-08-12 09:43]: ...
I argue for the specialist lists the current situation is worse.
Just a day or two ago a thread on -packaging discussing ruby gems was started. 4 or 5 messages into it, one of the parties said it really should be on the -ruby list.
It went silent on -packaging and I can only assume it is now taking place on -ruby which I don't subscribe to.
My belief is that -ruby should have just been added to the cc: list and the thread continue to keep -packaging included. A simple intro sentence saying:
=== Adding -ruby in cc.
Intro for -ruby folk: We've been discussing .... =
Again, many of the specialists work with lists where the above behavior is normal. They are already self-trained in how to manage cross-posting.
Having a netiquette that allows that type of consistency is helpful. A netiquette that says, every time the subject of a thread drifts from one specialty (-packaging) to another (-ruby) causes the exact issues you're trying to avoid by being against cross-posting.
and continues off-topic posting in the errant list[s].
But it is not off-topic for -packaging. Most packagers are not experts in every language used by the packages they maintain. That is a reality. NB: Most programmers can't package, so don't assume in general packaging questions should go to a programming list. Nothing would be farther from the truth. So when a packager hits a situation where the underlying language is causing his package to no longer build, he has a programming language specific packaging question. They happen routinely on the -packaging list. They are on-topic. In this case there was also another list for which it was even more on-topic. Say good-bye thread as it moves from a "good" place to the "best" place for it. The same is true of the -artwork/-project thread. It started on -artwork as a discussion of a contest to get new art submissions. After some internal discussion, -project was added to get a broader audience, but that doesn't mean the people on -artwork wanted to be dropped from the thread. Surely they still wanted to know what was being said about the contest. For large/busy non-specialized lists like opensuse@opensuse.org, no cross-posting may make sense, but for the dozens of small low volume opensuse lists, it helps to cross-post topics that cross boundaries. I'm not saying it should be 5 or 10% of the total, but I am saying it is in general more helpful than harmful. Further I'm saying it already happens on those lists and the participants in those lists aren't complaining. The complaint came because someone cross-posted to opensuse@opensuse.org. So I'm fine with the netiquette being updated to address the closed lists, but the open lists are doing just fine the way they are. Greg -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, email: opensuse-project+owner@opensuse.org