[Biopython] suggestion: moving to the discussion list to Google groups

[Hilmar Lapp]

Istvan,

what is your solution to Google all of a sudden deciding to take  
Google Groups down, or to make it a paid subscription service, or if  
Google goes out of business?

All of these things have happened over and over before with commercial  
vendors. Economies do go through cycles. Would it be OK to lose the  
entire archive of the mailing list in such an event?

BTW if you use a threaded email client (such as GMail, or in fact most  
modern email readers), you *will* see threaded messages. Also, the  
Biopython list is indexed in GMane I believe, so you can search there  
pretty conveniently. Finally, have you tried using Google to search  
the Biopython archive? It's not so bad, actually.

Just my $0.02 (and I'm a big fan of Google Groups).

	-hilmar

On Dec 16, 2009, at 11:49 AM, Istvan Albert wrote:

> Hello Everyone,
>
> I applaud the move to Github, I think it was a great decision that
> will allow more people to contribute to the project.
>
> Yet at the same time a community is built on communication and the
> current mailing list feels extremely antiquated. The way of
> interaction is tedious: sending emails to an address, then one reads
> one message at a time, messages are not displayed in a threaded form
> where multiple messages are shown at the same time. There is no of
> search,  etc. and it all feels like a throwback to the 90s. Personally
> I think a choice of mailman is a choice of deliberately of limiting
> access to all but the most hardcore - and for example that's why the
> main Python-dev uses it, it is a more of  a mechanism to keep people
> away. Of course  python has comp.lang.python and it is a nice and
> thriving group.
>
> The alternative such as Google groups would be far superior in
> attracting and building a community of developers and users as well.
> Is this an idea that  the owners of the list would entertain?
>
> best regards,
>
> Istvan Albert
>
>
> -- 
> Istvan Albert
> http://www.personal.psu.edu/iua1
> _______________________________________________
> Biopython mailing list  -  Biopython at lists.open-bio.org
> http://lists.open-bio.org/mailman/listinfo/biopython

-- 
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: Hilmar Lapp -:- Durham, NC -:- hlapp at drycafe dot net :
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