RE: [Boost-users] The Boost Community

From: Brian Braatz (brianb_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-05-04 11:30:20

Jeff,
        Please let me offer a suggestion-
        I like the boost wiki- I think the problem is it is "another
paradigm" separate from the list. People can only handle so many
paradigms.

        Now, if you "connect the two", then the Wiki will get more
people using it. 

        My suggestion- is add to the Wiki site- something that lets a
person browse the MAILING LIST. If you can get the interface to the list
working as good or better than the email version, then more people will
start to use the web tool, by using the web tool, they will see the Wiki
on the way in. In this way, the Wiki is put closer to their paradigm.

        While I think my suggestion is a good idea, I must give the
credit to KMART for putting the display of "canned meat" right in front
of the bathroom entrance.

:)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: boost-users-bounces_at_[hidden] [mailto:boost-users-
> bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of Jeff Garland
> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 1:10 AM
> To: boost-users_at_[hidden]
> Subject: Re: [Boost-users] The Boost Community
> 
> I'll just respond in general to the thread.  It's great to see some
> enthusiasm
> from the boost user community.  I'm afraid to say, however, that I'm a
bit
> of
> a skeptic.  Having started the Boost Wiki in 2001 after a burst of
similar
> discussion and the initial creation of the Boost-user mailing list, I
> consider
> the wiki to be basically a failed experiment.  That's not to say that
the
> Boost_User Wiki hasn't been very useful to many people (especially
Boost
> developers). But I'd say that there has never been sustained "user"
> support to
> help grow the Wiki and make it more useful for Boost users.  The
initial
> vision was that users would contribute 'tutorial' and other useful
> information.  It's been sparse at best.
> 
> So my thought is that before we go and grow another technological
solution
> and
> diluting our resources even more, we need to really think about what
the
> 'users' want to achieve and why the current site doesn't meet those
needs.
> Why
> don't more "users" contribute to the current Wiki?  What is it that
users
> really want to contribute to Boost?  Why not build on some of the good
> things
> on the current wiki (like the 'effective xyz' pages?  Why not band
> together
> and help work on the current Wiki? If it's additions to docs there are
> certainly many ways that can be done currently and is done all the
time by
> a
> variety of users.  It's alot of work to do it well I believe -- more
than
> I
> can do.  And if we want to augment with other technologies we can --
I'm
> fully
> open to expanding the hosting I already provide.
> 
> As for the wiki spam problem, I believe it to be a non-issue at this
> point.
> The problem really started to take off in mid-2004, but a series of
> measures
> have been implemented to reduce and resolve the problem. Yes, spam
still
> appears from time to time, but it is quickly and completely reversed.
The
> spammers that get thru initially get blocked out because the new
content
> filter stops them from posting links to spammer sites after an admin
> update.
>  The more organized and dangerous spammers seem to have moved on to
easier
> targets.  And at this point, any open content system is going to have
to
> face
> this problem -- so be prepared.
> 
> Jeff
> 
> 
> 
> 
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