[Twitter] Opening a new user support channel

users
#1

Hello everyone,

As you know we provide several options when it comes to users support. There is:
- the mailing lists (this one is in English but others exist for other languages)
- the forum that is really the Nabble interface to the mailing list
- the ask.libreoffice.org website
- IRC channel

Beside these options, we have more informal channels. Aside forums that are not affiliated with the project, there is our Google + community where users support actually works pretty well; and then we have questions and users requests coming from our Facebook page and Twitter account.

While it is a bit unclear what we could do with Facebook at this stage, we are seriously thinking about opening a new twitter account only dedicated to users support. So far one volunteer offered his help, but it's better if we can start with 2-3 volunteers and see where it takes us. If anyone here is interested in joining this effort, please raise your hand here or let me know off list.

Thanks!

Charles.

#2

Charles,

May I ask what is wrong with a traditional news group? They work very
well, don't clog my e-mail (like this does), and are used by some open
source projects like Mozilla. Seems like a news group would have been
the best choice for support.

As for Twitter, Facebook, etc., forget it - not interested in
registering for yet another new thing that offers no real benefit over a
news group.

Dave,

#3

Hi :slight_smile:
I think GMane is a way of viewing the posts to this mailing list as though
it was a traditional (fairly trad anyway) News Group. Similar to the idea
of viewing the posts through Nabble to make it look like a forum.

Quite a clever system imo, keeps 2-3 quite divergent different ways of
handling these posts in 1 system so that whoever posts gets seen by people
using the other methods.
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#4

Hello,

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Charles,

May I ask what is wrong with a traditional news group? They work
very well,

They /did/ work very well.
I shouldn't think that anyone under the age of (say) 30 really knows
what NNTP is, far less how to access and use it.
Many hardware and software vendors are resorting to Twitter and
Facebook in order to offer support - it's what many people now feel
comfortable with.

Just my 2d....

Indeed, there's nothing wrong with mailing lists. But social networks just happen to be channels or media through which people steadily and increasingly ask for support. Not one is better than the other. However, Gordon is right in pointing out that there are two different demographics concerned. One seems to be very clearly anywhere from 12 to 40 years old, quite diverse ethnically (although we have several mailing lists catering to users in many different languages) and this segment is the one mostly using social networks. The second one is mostly male and ranges anywhere between 40 and 120. Granted you were not asked your age but by rough data collected at events, meetings with people on users mailing lists we have the picture of a more senior population. Obviously, these are ballpark estimates. Once you put the requests we have on Twitter, Facebook, G+ and ask.libreoffice.org and compare them with users mailing lists trafic, it becomes clear that a large segment of the users population does not use mailing lists and will not use them even after being told to and shown where and how to subscribe. Here, we have ballpark estimates again, but in terme of questions asked it seems we have roughly between 10% less and 20% more questions asked that are not on users mailing lists.

They ought to be taken into account and we're calling for help: volunteers welcome!

Best,

Charles.

#5

When it comes to online support, What I'm looking for are:
* Registration not needed. News groups pass this test.
* e-mail not used so my mailbox doesn't get clogged up. News groups pass
this test.
* Information well organized by thread/subject. News groups pass this
test.
* Sorting by date, subject. News groups pass this test.
* History - appends go back some time. News groups pass this test.
* No cutesy crap. I don't need to see your picture, or the names of
your pets. News groups pass this test.
* Fast. I have a problem and I want the solution now - not when a web
based crap fest wants to reload. News groups pass this test.
* Answers. I want a good answer with some detail, not a retort from a
Google Monkey. News groups need improvement on this one.
* On subject, no flames or trolls. News groups fail this test.

So, if social media can meet/excede what I'm looking for, then do it.
If it is a case of going with the latest Internet toy, then stop and
rethink. Whatever is "popular" now, won't be 10 years from now, so
think long term.

One other thought. DON'T go down the age/generation road. It is a dead
end that will only bite you on the ass. Look at all the stores, TV
showes, ect. that are always trying to appealy to (mostly) the young.
It ends badly in most cases. So be very inclusive.

Dave,

#6

Dave, Jonathon,

We are drifting here. We are looking for help , not to compare each others personal preferences.

The fact is, we have people looking for support who won't subscribe to mailing lists or newsgroups. They are on social networks and therefore we are expanding there. Volunteers welcome :slight_smile:

Best,

Charles.

#7

Newsgroups, newsgroups, newsgroups.
Yes if you're over 50....the younger generation don't know what
newsgroups ARE, never mind how to access them or use them properly.
Sorry, newsgroups are a dinosaur that have disappeared into the mists
of time.
Live with it.

#8

I'd be willing to help, although I'm not very adept with solutions yet....

#9

Err no they don't. If no-one knows the answer, you don't get an
answer. No different from web forums or social media...

#10

Hello Gordon,

Excellent, we'll sync and talk about this off list.

Thanks a lot,

Charles.