Messages in this thread | | | Date | Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:47:26 -0500 | From | <> | Subject | Re: IRC? |
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---- Jesper Juhl <jj@chaosbits.net> wrote: > On Mon, 29 Dec 2008, lmage11@twcny.rr.com wrote: > > > You might want to add your name to that address when sending mail... > > > I know that Linux kernel development discussion has pretty much always > > taken place on mailing lists, but would you guys consider developing a > > presence on an IRC network, probably Freenode? There already exists a > > ##kernel channel which could be used, and other channels could be > > created for specific subsystems. I think it'd be an interesting new > > medium to try out for discussion between developers, and it would also > > make the developers more accessible to users who find the mailing lists > > inconvenient or intimidating. The only subsystem I know of that > > maintains a reliable presence on IRC is the DRM subsystem (i.e. Dave > > Airlie, Eric Anholt, etc), and it works great. > > > > Not trying to start a flame war here, just wondering what you guys > > think. :) > > > Everyone and their grandmother knows how to use email - :) > Significantly fewer people know how to use IRC - :( > > The mailing list is archived in various places - :) > IRC chats are rarely archived - :( > > Archiving all LKML mail locally is easy - :) > Archiving all of a IRC channel continuously locally is not so easy - :( > > Email archives are easily searchable by subject, sender etc - :) > IRC archives are not so easily searchable by subject etc - :( > > Email is nicely asynchronous, letting people read and respond at their leisure - :) > IRC chats are not as asynchronous - :( > > Patches are easily distributed via email - :) > Patches are not very easily distributed via IRC - :( > > IRC channels can be a nice suplement when a few people need to discuss > something in semi-real-time related to some LKML thread or just some > kernel related topic, but it's no replacement for the mailing list.
Yeah, I wasn't proposing it as a replacement... Just as an alternative means of communication for those that prefer it. For me personally, it would also make kernel developers feel more "accessible", which would be nice.
Ari
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