Paul Mason wrote:
> 
> > It's not hard ... to move your support -- is there any? -- to a public
> > mailing list.
> 
> I'm not sure what "your support" means in this context. What is it
> exactly that you think should be on a public mailing list?

Hi Paul, 

Well, that was a little vague.  ;-)    

My thinking is that if Ingres wants to create a community -- something it
needs for its business model to work -- it it might be a good idea to make
its internal resources a bit more accessible.  

For user support, I imagine a list that is readable by the public but
accepts queries only from subscribers.  It could have some guarantees
about response time and resolution that free lists don't have.  Searching
the list archives is a handy way to solve problems, and the quality of the
archive could tell potential subscribers what they can expect (good or
bad).  I don't know offhand of any for-profit open-source firm that does
this. 

For developers, I think Ingres would be well advised to create a free list
and try to answer whatever queries arrive.  After all, any good that comes
of that would be in the form of patches, furthering Ingres's aim.  And
there's nothing like answering questions to help someone understand where
the documentation is lacking.  For examples of such lists, cf.
http://lists.trolltech.com/.  

I don't know if this would work or be cost effective.  But if I were
Ingres, I'd sure give it a close look. 

Regards, 

--jkl
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