[Qgis-user] Migrating QGIS User mailing list to OSGeo Discourse, yes or no?

[Adam Nielsen]

> The main advantage of the forum like mode is the ability to search
> for old topic and possibly easily get answers for your questions
> before posting a new question

Perhaps it needs to be a bit more obvious, but you can search the list
for old topics if you use a query like this in most search engines:

  site:lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-user/ search terms here

There is also https://gis.stackexchange.com/ which has a lot of Q&A
posts related to QGIS for people who prefer a more modern interface.

> also might be a bit more attractive for new comers

I think the main issue when discussing where to provide support is
what's easiest for the people who answer the questions.  If you make it
too easy for people to post questions, they will post before doing their
own research which just leads to the same questions coming up
repeatedly.  If you make it too hard for the people with the answers -
like asking them to refresh a dozen different web pages every day
looking for new questions - then they will give up and the questions
will go unanswered.

So really, where the communication happens is ultimately up to whoever
is willing to answer the incoming questions.  The people with questions
will find you no matter where you are, it's the ones willing to provide
the answers that you need to cater for.

Personally, having the questions arrive with no interaction on my part,
and all in one place (my inbox, from many different projects, not just
QGIS) and only requiring one button click to send a reply, makes it
really easy to send a response if I feel I can provide an answer.  So as
long as a new system makes the process just as easy then there's
certainly no harm in trying it out.

Cheers,
Adam.