1) People on the mailing list don’t know what’s happening in chat. Errr. No. Sorry, I don’t buy this one. I simply can’t make myself believe that anyone on the mailing list doesn’t know that t.m.o. exists. Sure, you might have problems with of browser access for a period – say while on holiday – but I don’t think there’s anyone who can’t look in at the forum from time to time to see what’s buzzing. If people aren’t doing that it’s because they’re choosing not to. And they should retain that choice – aware of the risks.
2) People on t.m.o. don’t know what’s happening in the mailing list. This one has more credibility.
If the mailing list denizens are feeling “Oh Teh Noes! We don’t want that rowdy lot joining our mailing list!” I have two things to say. One is that us voluble forum types can fall strangely silent on a mailing list as it’s not our natural medium. (I may not say much but I am reading now, so you can’t insult me behind my back any more )The other is to request that you ask yourself whether you are really concerned here to keep the functionality of the mailing list or to keep that nice cosy feeling you get from the smaller Old school group where you feel you know everyone. If it’s the latter, maybe the formal maemo.org channels are not the way to do that: I’m trying very hard not to use the word ‘clique’ here, because I don’t think it does apply. But it could.
3) Decisions have been enacted based on the debate in one medium without the users of other medium being aware. WTF??
So the proposals: 1) Encourage people on the mailing list to look in to the forum from time to time to be aware of what’s buzzing.
2) Make the mailing list more visible, and encourage more forum posters to be involved.
3) Make sure the Council don’t make decisions until people in all the media have had the opportunity to input their opinions.