Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:40:52 +0100 (CET)
From: Jesper Juhl <jj@chaosbits.net>
To: lmage11@twcny.rr.com
cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: IRC?
In-Reply-To: <20081230011918.EYAC3.401225.root@hrndva-web19-z02>
Message-ID: <alpine.LNX.2.00.0812300222370.16537@swampdragon.chaosbits.net>
References: <20081230011918.EYAC3.401225.root@hrndva-web19-z02>
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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.


-- 
Jesper Juhl <jj@chaosbits.net>
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