Might Make a Support Forum..

[maddog39]

Hello all,

I am only a couple weeks into using my first linux distro and im really liking it. I can finally have something stable and decent on my PC instead of having to be on my Mac all the time. :) So, I was thinking of making an international Ubuntu support forum. Before hand, since im still new to linux in general I would have to do alot of research and learn thouroly how to use linux. However I am a very skilled web developer and webmaster so I am pretty sure that if I did create the site that it would be very nicely done and people would want to go there and participate. So, what does everyone else think of this idea. You think it would get supported and become sucessful, or is the volume of support sites out there already too large, making it a difficult task to create a good support site/community.

Thanks!
-maddog39 :D

[briancurtin]

i dont see the need to reinvent the wheel

[aysiu]

So, I was thinking of making an international Ubuntu support forum. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but this is an international Ubuntu support forum. It's in English--true--but it's still international. A multi-lingual support forum just leaves people confused.

Maybe you can send a private message (PM) to Ubuntu-Geek or Kassetra and ask how you can help out.

[maddog39]

Well no not necissarily, if you look on the community page and you look at some of the links, most of the other languages go to different sites. Although I see what your saying. However, I forget where but on the Ubuntu website it says that all and any support sites are appreciated.

[aysiu]

Well no not necissarily, if you look on the community page and you look at some of the links, most of the other languages go to different sites. I don't see how that's contrary to what I said. International to me means that it's not targeted at a specific country. There are users on these English-speaking forums from India, England, Germany, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. The forum is international--just English-speaking. There are other Ubuntu forums sites for other languages. Multi-lingual does not mean international and vice versa.

Being English-speaking, the forum does tend to be heavily dominated by Europeans and North Americans (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=92211), but that doesn't mean it isn't international.

[Kvark]

The documentation site sector needs more work then the support forum sector IMO. Take a look at the official wiki (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/) and the Ubuntu Document Storage Facility (http://doc.gwos.org/). I'm sure both of those always have something that needs to be added if you ask the guys there how you best can help.

[maddog39]

Okay, I see. Im still not sure whether it would be a good idea or not. A linux community/fan site would be cool too. :D

[briancurtin]

Okay, I see. Im still not sure whether it would be a good idea or not. A linux community/fan site would be cool too. :D
yeah but what will you offer that gives a user reason to check out your site as opposed to this one?

[Jucato]

What will he offer? Local customization/help? A place for fellow countrymen to talk and gather?

There are some country-specific Ubuntu sites out there, Brazil and Philippines to name a few. The thing is, they're not really support sites but more of a "fansite" (although I wouldn't use that term).

[maddog39]

Well it wont be Ubuntu specific. It would be general Linux things, and I could find some innovative ideas. I would also call in some of my friends who use linux to come help me in the development.

[Jucato]

Well, I don't see any problem with that. But it would be good if you would direct/redirect general Ubuntu support questions here. For one, you would probably get more help. Two, as this is the official Ubuntu community, your ideas can help the growth of the whole Ubuntu community.

Or you could also make a thread in the Ubuntu Cafe section for your country/local area. There's a Philippine Ubuntu users thread there, anyway.

Maybe ubuntuforums.org could have a sub-section that would contain threads made by different countries.

[SSTwinrova]

Maybe ubuntuforums.org could have a sub-section that would contain threads made by different countries.
Perhaps this is what you meant, but wouldn't this mainly only be useful for non-English and/or local support requests?? As I believe someone else mentioned, there's no reason to fragment people just based on the country of origin/residence.

[Jucato]

I'm not really saying to make a separate "support" section for other countries. Something like an "International Cafe" section where there can be threads for US Users, UK Users, Philippine users, Spanish users, French users, etc. A place where they can discuss things directly or indirectly related to Ubuntu and/or Linux, like the current status of Ubuntu/Linux support in their country, or availability of Linux-compatible hardware, or even the latest news of Mark Shuttleworth's country-hopping. :D

I don't really see this as "fragmentation", but more of a place where people of the same nationality can hang out once in a while. Of course having a separate website would be better. But not everybody has the luxury of that.

[BoyOfDestiny]

I'm not really saying to make a separate "support" section for other countries. Something like an "International Cafe" section where there can be threads for US Users, UK Users, Philippine users, Spanish users, French users, etc. A place where they can discuss things directly or indirectly related to Ubuntu and/or Linux, like the current status of Ubuntu/Linux support in their country, or availability of Linux-compatible hardware, or even the latest news of Mark Shuttleworth's country-hopping. :D

I don't really see this as "fragmentation", but more of a place where people of the same nationality can hang out once in a while. Of course having a separate website would be better. But not everybody has the luxury of that.

Or they could make a thread in the community cafe. Which is what the "pinoy" users have done.

A lot of policies and concepts carry over beyond national borders. There is no need to split the forums, especially by nationality, not everyone shares the same views or deals with all the same issues within 1 country.

In regards to Linux, it's something global. Someone compiling the kernel in Alaska or in Britain (or heck on the Moon), doesn't matter...

It is fragmentation, and unecessary.

[Jucato]

Umm... ok I think I'm not really that articulate in getting my point across.
What I was saying was for those interested make threads like thePinoy Ubuntu Users thread (maybe a Spanish Ubuntu Users thread, Netherland Ubuntu Users, etc). Then, collect all these threads into one convenient place, a sub-section of Ubuntu Cafe, for example. It won't be a split/fragmentation of the main support threads, but rather a "special interest" sub-section like those sub-sections that caters to programming, artwork, etc.

Well, anyway, like I said, it seems that I'm not that very clear in how I'm getting my point across, so scrap that suggestion. I just want to make it clear that I did not mean to propose a separate support section for other countries/nationalities.

[benhur99ph]

dude! this forum is an international supprot forum. everything you need to know and ask about ubuntu is pretty much here.... so instead of going to all the trouble of making another support forum, why not just be active here and contribute to the community? But I applaud your desire to help us ubuntu users, especially noobs like me. that being said, it would be best if you heed the suggestions of --aysiu-- and PM the other moderators or staff on how you can help. :-)

[jngoi]

I am so sorry if it seems inappropriate for me to join your conversation like this, being a newbie and all, but I agree with Jucato because I think he means something that is not a distinct and separate support forum.
I think that having localized threads are good too and doesn't exactly mean it will come out as a fragmentation of some sorts. Support from the community comes in a standard medium of communication, that is english, but there are times when what you need to express is best communicated in the native toungue or the solution is best expressed in the "poster's" native toungue not only to the members who could understand the dialect but also the customs and traditions that goes with the interaction. If it were all embodied in a single thread it might come out as confusing to the person posting(even if in english). We have different ways of understanding or percieving words and might often times end up being misunderstood. This could be helped by having localized threads that act as mediums or go betweens and hopefully can clear up a vaguely understood comment post or suggestion.
It does not appear to be a fragmentation but rather a flexible link that further strenghtens the incorporation of multi-lingual, multi-custom members in a single international support forum/Community by getting help and ideas across more effectively. After all, it is still one support forum/Community.

[Joeb454]

Closed the thread due to irrelevance (we have many loco forums either on this forum or linked to from this forum) & for necromancing (technically twice)