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

[Leighton Pritchard]

Hi,

On 17/12/2009 17:29, "Istvan Albert" <iua1 at psu.edu> wrote:

> On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 4:35 AM, Leighton Pritchard <lpritc at scri.ac.uk> wrote:
> 
>> Mailing lists are far more convenient - for me - than having to navigate to
>> a website especially to check new messages on a particular subject.
> 
> Just for clarity:  nobody is suggesting to take that away. You can
> *always* get the messages delivered via email.

I wasn't worried that anyone would 'take it away'.  Though it must be said
that not all discussion systems allow email tracking.

> I think some of you get a little bit defensive because you assume that the
> suggestion is about messing with your system.

I don't think that's a fair characterisation.  So far, what I've seen is
open and thoughtful discussion of a comment you've made, and general
agreement that mirroring/archiving on Google Groups is a good idea.  Just
because someone doesn't agree with every point you make, that doesn't make
them defensive.

>> Biopython is never likely to be more than a niche interest,
> 
> You are perfectly right here and that echoes my original sentiment!
> What keeps biopython a niche interest is exactly the lack of community
> building features. There obstacles in getting into it, so most won't.
> It doesn't take much to discourage a newcomer.

That's not what I meant when I wrote that it's a niche interest.

Biopython is a niche interest because a user likely fulfils three - rather
unusual - criteria.  I believe that these are the big obstacles to
participation - not the software used for the mailing list:

- they program in Python
- they have an interest (likely professional or educational - not many
bioinformatics hobbyists out there) in bioinformatics
- they have bothered to investigate an existing general library for
bioinformatics in Python, rather than try to solve their problem from
scratch ;)

Add to that, that the mailing list is a forum for discussion which - along
with all other online fora for discussion, including Google Groups - is
inherently self-selecting for active members.  Taken together, this sets its
own upper limit to the user base, which in turn helps define what is a
sensible system to convey information between, and to, users.

The three criteria listed above do suggest a sufficient level of comfort
with the problem domain, such that Biopython's presence on Google Groups is
- in my opinion - unlikely to be the major draw for new contributors or
users.

I do worry for the future of research if signing up to a mailing list (which
you can do via the website; no subscription email is required) is an
insurmountable hurdle for young, apparently computer-literate scientists.
If that sort of thing really is a problem, it should at least keep
conference attendances down in years to come, as navigating their Byzantine
registration systems must drive them to endless despair...

L.

-- 
Dr Leighton Pritchard MRSC
D131, Plant Pathology Programme, SCRI
Errol Road, Invergowrie, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, DD2 5DA
e:lpritc at scri.ac.uk       w:http://www.scri.ac.uk/staff/leightonpritchard
gpg/pgp: 0xFEFC205C       tel:+44(0)1382 562731 x2405


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