ubuntuforums or launchpad?

[jbruced]

If you absolutely positively need an intelligent answer in a timely manner, which do you use?

Based on 3 criteria.

1. Quality of support(knowledge and expertise of answers)
2. Timeliness.
3. Easy to find solved issues without posting.


I keep coming back to the forums for some reason, I think because I feel there is more information available that's already been solved.
My thoughts.

1. Launchpad(no knock on the forums, seems there are less people available on lauchpad, but seems most have a good level of knowledge, whereas on ubuntuforums there seems to be many more people willing to help, but there are more less knowledgable answers)
2. Tie
3. ubuntuforums(seems it has more data, but launchpad is easy to find answered issues)

[SonnHalter]

1.launchpad
2.ubuntuforums
3.tie

[MikeTheC]

Never heard of launchpad.

[ithanium]

1. ubuntuforums
2. lunchpad
3. tie

[Skripka]

Ubuntuforums is a general help/troubleshooting domai, with many end-users onling 24 hours a day.

Launchpad is centered around bug reporting/tracking, with devs keeping a thumb on things.


2 very different purposes

[cb951303]

launchpad for support? isn't launchpad for bug reporting? am I missing something?

[jbruced]

I've used both and have had great success with both for troubleshooting/learning how issues.

[UbuWu]

launchpad for support? isn't launchpad for bug reporting? am I missing something?

Yes you missed something:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu

[-grubby]

Launchpad's central purpose is not support, likewise, it will not have better support than a large forum based on the same purpose.

[cmat]

Usually on launchpad you get somebody asking you to try something before it's declared a bug. If you encounter a problem is best to go here first and if no one can figure it out report it on launchpad.

[cb951303]

Yes you missed something:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu

I don't think the main purpose of "Answer" is support.

[cb951303]

[double post]

[Slug71]

Launchpad is MOSTLY for bugs.
The forum is here for help.

[jpeddicord]

I don't think the main purpose of "Answer" is support.

No, actually, it is. On any Ubuntu-supported application (Firefox, Gedit, Pidgin, etc) open the Help menu and then select Get Help Online. You will be taken right to Answers for that specific application.

[jbruced]

I don't think the main purpose of "Answer" is support.

Click on the link you provided, and at the top of the page it says "questions". I see this also as a place to ask questions.

Below that is a list of issues with a status of "open", "answered", and "needs more information".

If it's answered, in most cases its the same meaning as "solved" on the forums.

In my experience with launchpad(limited though it is), I've gotten good answers/solutions to issues with ubuntu I was having. Not bugs, but configuration/setup etc. issues.

Just my 2 cents here, I try to read everything everywhere I can find concerning my issues, but sometimes I just hit a brick wall and need advice from a guru or someone who's solved the same issue already.

Interesting that there are different takes on this.

[binbash]

ubuntuforums and launchpad is different platforms, one is good for asking other is for bug reporting

[joshmuffin]

I think (in my newb opinion) that launchpad is sometimes quite hard to navigate. ubuntufoums are good for things that you know have been solved.
Whereas launchpad is for major bugs that should and probably will be fixed with updates. I find it easier and more user friendly to use the forums, which is basically the point.

[Sealbhach]

Launchpad is handy for finding solutions or workarounds - especially if you have hardware that's not playing ball. I find the site very slow though - so I avoid using it if I can.


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