On Thu, Sep 5, 2013 at 6:29 AM, sebb <seb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 5 September 2013 12:00, Rob Weir <robw...@apache.org> wrote:
> > On Thu, Sep 5, 2013 at 5:24 AM, sebb <seb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> The dev list sees the occasional thread which IMO really belongs on
> >> the user list/forum
> >>
> >> Although it is convenient for the poster to have the question answered
> >> on the dev list, I wonder if that is the best approach overall.
> >>
> >> The disadvantages of not referring the poster to the user list are
> several:
> >>
> >> - other users don't benefit from the thread
> >> - the dev list is cluttered with the off-topic threads
> >> - the poster may continue to use the dev list rather than the user
> >> list/forum where there are lots more potential responders
> >>
> >> Just a thought.
> >>
> >
> > This is all true. We also get user questions to the private mailing
> > list, and via the press alias address. And we also get product
> > support questions to the Bugzilla admin alias and the ezmlm admin
> > alias.
> >
> > But I don't think we actively encourage users to post questions to do
> > these things. But it is a puzzle why this happens.
> >
> > The main contact page for the project, on the footer of every web page
> is this:
> >
> > http://www.openoffice.org/contact_us.html
> >
> > We've adjusted this over time, to make sure that the support options
> > were first and more prominent. But we still get misdirected emails,
> > to the dev, private, etc. lists. But with a million downloads a week
> > there will always be some small number of users who don't read that
> > page carefully, or maybe think they will get a faster response if they
> > send to a different list.
>
> [And they are proved right when their off-topic questions are promptly
> answered ...]
>
> The second heading currently says:
>
> "If you want to contact the Apache OpenOffice developer team..."
>
> which may explain some of the misdirected questions.
> [Who better to ask than a developer if there is a problem?
> Maybe I'll get a faster response?]
>
> I think that section should have some explanation as to when it is
> appropriate to contact the team directly.
> Possibly move it further down the page as well.
>
Maybe the "contact the Apache OpenOffice developer team" needs to be
removed from the "Contact Us" page entirely. Honestly, given the context,
I'm not sure this belongs here. Maybe delete that section and add a heading
at the end called Mailing Lists and route them to the project mailing list
page. That might encourage users to make a better choice for contacting.
> > -Rob
> >
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>
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MzK
"Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged
to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't."
-- "Following the Equator", Mark Twain
