[Wine] Re: RFD: create new list and forum 'wine-newbies'

[oiaohm]

Been thinking.  Something critical in the forum is missing.  Yes we have a welcome message.  Do we have a message point users to where they can get there assistance straight up no.  Mailing lists always had faq's to keep traffic down.   Busy ones normally did monthly updates to keep posts down.  In Welcome message is too hidden.  Read the Guide I can tell you now 90 percent will not be.    http://wiki.winehq.org/ForumGuidelines << contents in a direct stick message at top.  Far more effective.   Experience from other forums don't expect people to read rules of forum on second link in.   Even a virtual post at top is more effective.

Modern day user problem see forum click threw to there don't read else where.

It all about getting use to it.   What you have to wake up is that so call newbies are getting more skilled.  About 10 years ago they would not find irc.  Instead more often find newsgroups.  Since users were using newsgroups more.

Its just a progression.    Even if you unlink the forum/mailing list all you are doing is buying time.   Sooner or latter mailing lists will become popular again.  All it would really take is a few beginner books published showing number one how to use mailing lists number two saying that they are the best way to get answers.  Even worse is if email clients start making using mail lists very point and click.

Other thing documentation of wine needs a lot of work.  You want rid of them lets make it simple.  Good documentation reduces it.   Good redirection to good documentation also reduce it.   But it will be heavy than it was before that is just expectable.

No point thinking about splitting until you have attempted to reduce.  Since one day you will need good traffic reduce method might as well sort them out now.  Still the same comment get use it.   Basically meaning find the problems and fix them.