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CW mailing lists-style and IRC<>forum integration functionality?

Started by Dream of Omnimaga, August 31, 2015, 06:20:25 AM

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Dream of Omnimaga

So I found this on SMF: http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=2843

Basically, it adds mailing lists functionalities to SMF forums, allowing people to participate to the forums via e-mail and vice-versa. In other words, people would be able to use CodeWalrus like the good ol' ticalc.org mailing lists back in the days. You would basically be able to reply to any topic via e-mail, but your e-mail address would most likely be shown. This feature would be handy for the people who don't like forums or cannot get used to their interface, capitalizing on the fact that many community members are old school when it comes to technology (partly why everyone is sticking to EFnet IRC network).

However, I am not 100% sure if the mod subscribes everyone by default or something, and that's something I would prefer not to, since not everyone are willing to get e-mailed everytime a reply is posted on the forums. I am also unsure if this can cause problems with Gmail if that many e-mails get sent at once every post and if it would cause us a considerable amount of extra server load. I guess it might be better to try on a test site first.


While this is not guaranted to work, I am posting this idea anyway because I was curious if anyone would be interested in the ability to participate to the forums directly via e-mail?


Another feature I had in mind around 2012-13 in order to counter the exodus of Omni forum members towards IRC (which was never brought up since I would have needed to be admin) was to integrate IRC chat directly into the forums so that all IRC convo except joins/parts/smiley posts would be automatically posted in a chit chat thread in the off-topic section (when a nick is mentioned with @ it would quote the last IRC line that person posted in the last few hours, if any). That sub-forum would be excluded from Walrified/CodeWalrii/Walrifier post notifying lists. When someone posts multiple times in a row,  it would edit his post until somebody else posts. All posts would show up as guest posts and if someone decided to reply in the thread, it would forward his message to WalrusIRC like a normal IRC message, but truncated after 128 or 256 characters.
  • Calculators owned: TI-82 Advanced Edition Python TI-84+ TI-84+CSE TI-84+CE TI-84+CEP TI-86 TI-89T cfx-9940GT fx-7400G+ fx 1.0+ fx-9750G+ fx-9860G fx-CG10 HP 49g+ HP 39g+ HP 39gs (bricked) HP 39gII HP Prime G1 HP Prime G2 Sharp EL-9600C
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: Huawei P30 Lite, Moto G 5G, Nintendo 64 (broken), Playstation, Wii U

novenary

I'm not sure if this is particularly useful. I'm pretty sure most members don't even know what a mailing list is. :P The community members that are "old school about technology" aren't even on CW. I myself don't really like the concept of a mailing list, since it floods your mailbox. But I guess if people like it then we could consider it.

About the IRC integration into the forum, that would probably make the forum database grow fast. O.O I'm not sure this is a good idea.

Dream of Omnimaga

It depends, since new community members seems to still insist on using EFnet from time to time and there are even ones that sticks to non-flash TI calcs. Mailing lists would probably attract the older community members while also attracting the ones who don't like forums and prefer e-mail as way to communicate. It could also be a way to lure members from existing Google groups (there are about three), since CW forums would provide them more activity. Since it's only a certain portion of the TI community, this is why I would probably not implement such feature unless it kept subscribtions disabled by default. (there would be a page explaining how to join the "mailing list' like on ticalc.org). Ideally I would also prefer if we used [email protected] or something so the main address won't get flooded either.

Also it depends of what the CW server supports. The mod has an option to switch between e-mail piping and webhooks/mailhooks/HTTP POST data.


As for IRC<>forums It depends. It certainly wouldn't make the forum db grow much faster than Omni's did in late 2010-early 2011. :P (it averaged at 500 posts a day some weeks and my idea would auto merge monologues/strip out :walrii: - only posts and the like)
  • Calculators owned: TI-82 Advanced Edition Python TI-84+ TI-84+CSE TI-84+CE TI-84+CEP TI-86 TI-89T cfx-9940GT fx-7400G+ fx 1.0+ fx-9750G+ fx-9860G fx-CG10 HP 49g+ HP 39g+ HP 39gs (bricked) HP 39gII HP Prime G1 HP Prime G2 Sharp EL-9600C
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: Huawei P30 Lite, Moto G 5G, Nintendo 64 (broken), Playstation, Wii U

novenary

Well, you have to consider that the older community members are not necessarily interested in the contents we have here on codewalrus.

Dream of Omnimaga

True, but they might be interested in some of the calculator discussion.
  • Calculators owned: TI-82 Advanced Edition Python TI-84+ TI-84+CSE TI-84+CE TI-84+CEP TI-86 TI-89T cfx-9940GT fx-7400G+ fx 1.0+ fx-9750G+ fx-9860G fx-CG10 HP 49g+ HP 39g+ HP 39gs (bricked) HP 39gII HP Prime G1 HP Prime G2 Sharp EL-9600C
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: Huawei P30 Lite, Moto G 5G, Nintendo 64 (broken), Playstation, Wii U

Unicorn

I like the irc idea, but it seems a little unnecessary considering that we have irc logs, and such.
  • Calculators owned: I own all of them: PICKACHUP TI 84+ CSE TI 83+ SE TI something something ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: PICKACHUP ??? ??? ??? ??? ???



??? ??? ??? ??? ???

novenary

Yeah exactly. It would split the chat even more (especially if people are allowed to post in the thread).

Dream of Omnimaga

I don't see how it would split the chat even more considering it would actually increase its activity? ??? Unless you mean the fact it would be on too many mediums (eg the reasons why we are soon ditching Omninet)? Anyway, just trying to find some ideas to increase site activity by catering to more people, this time with the people who prefers using e-mail. Not that it's guaranteed to be implemented, though, but I found the SMF mod so I thought I would bring up the idea


(IMHO the best idea is that every single site admin adds CW to their signatures on every forum they have accounts on, along with ticalc/github readmes).
  • Calculators owned: TI-82 Advanced Edition Python TI-84+ TI-84+CSE TI-84+CE TI-84+CEP TI-86 TI-89T cfx-9940GT fx-7400G+ fx 1.0+ fx-9750G+ fx-9860G fx-CG10 HP 49g+ HP 39g+ HP 39gs (bricked) HP 39gII HP Prime G1 HP Prime G2 Sharp EL-9600C
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: Huawei P30 Lite, Moto G 5G, Nintendo 64 (broken), Playstation, Wii U

novenary

I think syncing IRC with an actual forum thread is a terrible idea. We have WIRC for that, and public logs. No need for more.

As for the mailing list, I'm not opposed to it but I still think very few people would actually use it. I think integrating with thread subscription would be a good idea though, ie when you receive notifications from a thread you have subscribed to you can just reply to the email and your reply will be posted on the forums.

And of course, people (including but not limited to admins) should link to CW at their discretion in their readmes.

Snektron

Probably no one is going to use the mailing list, and a telegram <-> forum link would get WAY too spammy.
  • Calculators owned: TI-84+
Legends say if you spam more than DJ Omnimaga, you will become a walrus...


Dream of Omnimaga

Quote from: Streetwalrus on September 02, 2015, 08:54:16 PM
I think syncing IRC with an actual forum thread is a terrible idea. We have WIRC for that, and public logs. No need for more.

As for the mailing list, I'm not opposed to it but I still think very few people would actually use it. I think integrating with thread subscription would be a good idea though, ie when you receive notifications from a thread you have subscribed to you can just reply to the email and your reply will be posted on the forums.

And of course, people (including but not limited to admins) should link to CW at their discretion in their readmes.
The subscription idea is the one I am interested more in.
  • Calculators owned: TI-82 Advanced Edition Python TI-84+ TI-84+CSE TI-84+CE TI-84+CEP TI-86 TI-89T cfx-9940GT fx-7400G+ fx 1.0+ fx-9750G+ fx-9860G fx-CG10 HP 49g+ HP 39g+ HP 39gs (bricked) HP 39gII HP Prime G1 HP Prime G2 Sharp EL-9600C
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: Huawei P30 Lite, Moto G 5G, Nintendo 64 (broken), Playstation, Wii U

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