Email Lists

[pidgin at alexoren.com]

On 2022-10-06 05:52, Gary Kramlich wrote:
> Greetings Programs!
> 
> As some of you may be aware, we've been in the process of transitioning our email lists to a new server. Well, managing email in 2022 is tedious and unforgiving so it's taking forever and I always have a ton more on my plate that's easier to do.
> 
> As such, the idea has come up to migrate to Discource instead. Because of this, I'm trying to see how others feel about this and how we should go about importing things. They are listed below.
> 
> I've tried looking to see if I can anonymize the archive, but haven't found anything mentioning that as a possibility yet.

Why does it matter?  Currently, the archives are open for the whole Internet to see.

> Please respond as soon as possible as I would really like to start on this migration no later than 2022-10-14.
> 
> When it comes to this migration, are you for or against it? (Please answer yes/no/doesn't matter)

I have always been in favour of forums over mailing lists due to the added flexibility and control that they offer, so this is a resounding YES from me.

I am not familiar with Discourse in particular, but I checked their web site, and they say that the platform integrates with email:

| Reply via email
|
| When you aren’t active on the website, your notifications will be automatically sent to you via email. Reply via email from anywhere, on any device.

So the people that prefer to use email can continue with their current workflow.

*Edit before sending*

I dug a bit deeper and this is what their FAQ says:

| Discourse can be used as a mailing list
|
| With properly configured incoming mail, Discourse can be used just like a mailing list. If you’ll be interacting with Discourse exclusively by email, consider enabling Mailing list mode in your personal preferences, provided it’s enabled on your forum.

I registered an account on a Discourse board to check, and indeed there is this setting:

| Mailing list mode
| [_] Enable mailing list mode
| This setting overrides the activity summary.
| Muted topics and categories are not included in these emails.

And most interestingly, if the server is configured to allow it, you don't even have to set up an account!

| Enable “Accept emails from anonymous users with no accounts” if you want staged users to be created when an incoming email address does not exists yet.

> When it comes to this migration, would you like to have users imported into the new system? (Please answer yes/no/doesn't matter)

It does not matter to me.  Registering an account with the same email takes 2 minutes.

That said, if makes it transparent and zero-effort for the people that prefer to continue using email, then I am all for it.

> When it comes to the archives, would you prefer to have it imported into the new system? (Please answer yes/no/doesn't matter)

It does not matter to me.  If it makes the archives searchable and minimizes the number of times that the same questions need to be answered over and over again, then I am for it.  If it makes the migration more complicated, then it can be dropped.


Thank you,
Alex.