[SI-LIST] New si-list features
- From: Ray Anderson <ray.anderson@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:16:30 -0800
Si-list users:
About a week ago I pinged the list to find out what features users felt were
"mandatory" in si-list and what features they would like to see added.
As a result of the survey found almost 75% of the respondents felt that for
the list to be useful to them that message traffic needed to be delivered TO
them via e-mail as it is presently done (i.e., the "push" mode).
A smaller but significant number of users wanted a web based "forum" style
interface where they could go to check list traffic when they wanted to (i.e.,
the "pull" mode).
Other desirable features mentioned were better archive searching and a place
where si discussion related files could be placed where others could access
them.
To a lesser extent, some wanted a place to post job listings, various "social
networking" features etc.
I've spent quite a bit of time over the past week investigating various
solutions that might be able to provide as many of the above mentioned features
as possible without undo disruption of the list or cost. I found that there are
numerous low or no cost ways to provide a web based forum type group
environment. It turned out that the sticky issue was to be able to
simultaneously provide the e-mail listserver type environment at the same time.
Another key consideration was to provide access to the past message traffic
archives.
Rather than detail all the ratholes I transited trying to find the "ideal"
solution I'll cut to what I've come up with as an "interim" solution that
provides many of the desired features (but perhaps not all). This isn't the
perfect solution, and I'm still looking for that, but I think the interim
solution is workable and will serve our needs until something better is devised.
As it turns out, many years ago when we moved the list to freelists.org I
implemented a "backup" archive on Yahoogroups whose sole purpose at that time
was to provide a secondary archive site in addition to the one freelists.org
provides. While I originally was reticent to move to a Yahoogroups based forum
solution, it turns out that after investigating a plethora of other solutions
that perhaps Yahoogroups isn't so evil after all....
So, here is the solution in a nutshell:
è
For those users who want to retain the e-mail based interface as it is
currently embodied all you need to do is: NOTHING
Si-list will continue to work just as it has for the past years. You will post
to the same address and receive message traffic just as you always have.
è
For those users who want a web-based forum style interface you will need to
become a member of the si-list Yahoogroup. (if you don't have a Yahoo ID and
password you'll need to sign up for that).
The relevant URL is http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list ( a link to
there will be added to the footer of all si-list e-mail messages).
From the group message section you can read current traffic, post to si-list
(the postings will be routed to the freelists.org server), and search the
existing archives dating back to March 2004.
In addition the files area can be used to post and retrieve files related to si
topics and list discussions. In the "applications" area there is an
experimental job posting area and an experiment FAQ area. (we'll have to see
how those work out). Please post only "appropriate" material.
(Please note that if you post a message to si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx the message
won't go out over the main si-list but will only go to those who choose to be a
member of the web based forum).
Note that even if you are mainly interested in the e-mail part of the list,
that in order to use the archives and the files area etc. you will need to
become a member of the yahoogroup even if you don't intend to use it for
anything else.
-Ray
(si-list admin)
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