> I personally disagree. I feel that occasional programming discussion is > very on-topic for a Linux and Open Source mailing list. I feel that it > is good for folks to hear a wide variety of topics in the "Open Source" > spectrum. Well, like I said in my original mail, I don't think anyone minds the messages (although it's possible that some of the less active subscribers might not want to read it), but I don't consider it really on topic. I have no problem with the messages being made on LUAU (I like to be able to help people with programming questions, and it's nice to know there is a place I can ask mine), but I don't think many people would think to subscribe to LUAU for programming advice. UH has a pretty popular Comp Sci school and I think that providing and advertising a new list may help bring in more programmers to Open Source ideas.
If you were a first year programmer struggling with grasping the "programmer's mindset", would you think to email a Linux and Unix advocacy list? > Besides, wouldn't programming be very related to "Open Source"? Very much so. That's why I think we should make a new list to promote this topic. > I suspect that by the time our list grows to around 3,000 users, then > our traffic may be large enough to warrant several different special > topic discussion lists. 3,000 users?! LUAU isn't lkml ya know :-) > At the moment though, I hope that this can occur in this list in order to > help foster more growth. growth of LUAU list or growth of open source advocacy in Hawaii? Certainly funneling all users into one list may make /that list/ bigger, but I don't believe it encourages growth as a whole. I can provide reasons why if you are interested. > Perhaps someone may think, "Hey, I can get gcc help from LUAU to help me > in my class C project on my uhunix account." I don't think many people would think that though. Not unless they are, A) already subscribed to LUAU and know that programming discussions go on here or B) ask someone who is subscribed to LUAU for help, and they refer them here. > They do get help, but they also hear about all of this Linux stuff and > they decide to try it... I don't see any reason why a programming list filled with Open Source idealists would fail to advocate Linux or the BSDs when someone is looking for (whether they know it or not ;-) a new development platform. Anyway, just my thoughts on the matter. I'll wait for more replies. In particular I'm waiting to hear from those who have asked for programming help or given programming advice before on LUAU. --Ray
