On 07/12/02 15:16 +0530, LinuxLingam thus spake: > we could use it on our website, and the growing queries and issues around > gnuLinux could best be resolved, answered, through this rather efficient > engine, instead of the increasingly inelegant system of mailing list.
Hi LL, Thanks. I would look into the website you mentioned. Let me explain a bit about the issue that I had put up in the last meeting. A common problem of people using Linux and related products is getting the right support at the right time. Contrary to what many newcomers believe, a volunteer based support system like the ILUGD mailing list, is not enough for many individuals and organisations. While the list is sufficient for people who have time or the inclination to do as much homework as possible to get their systems running, there is a large( I believe) number of users who are more concerned in getting their system up and running in the least amount of time. They are willing to pay for competence and time savings. Many dont have the technically oriented personnel in their organisations who can keep in touch with the list and get their problems solved. These potential clients can't afford to get things go wrong because of (sometimes) amateur suggestions made by people who have nothing to lose by making suggestions. In other words, they need support whic is willing to take *responsibility* for services provided (all help on Linux lists are implicitly without warranty). On the other hand, there are a large number of people in this city (again, my belief from the people I have met on and off the list) who are competent enough in these field to help at a price. Some are active on this list, but far too many are simply lurking around sniffing for commercial opportunities. The problem lies in the fact that these two kind of people are simply not getting a platform to meet. This is where I had suggested having some sort of an Elance-kinda thing for Linux and open source technologies on the http://support.linux-delhi.org site, where one can go post a problem for commercial support. The main mailing list would always exist as it is. Since the Elance-kinda thing requires custom made software, I had suggested having a bulletin board instead. Any organisation which has a problem for which it is willing to pay for responsible support can post out here, and all interested service providers can mail their offers to them instead. I have no idea how successful this can be. I wanted more inputs before I go ahead and install phpBB on the site. LL, your comments on the same? - Sandip -- -------------------------------------------------------- Sandip Bhattacharya sandipb <@> bigfoot.com http://www.sandipb.net GPG/PGP: 0x08EB637C -------------------------------------------------------- ================================================ To unsubscribe, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with unsubscribe in subject header. Check archives at http://www.mail-archive.com/ilugd%40wpaa.org
