Posted by "Larry E. Ullman" on 11/05/05 16:58

> > One of the fallacies in your argument is that the lack of an
> official
> > forum on php.net implies "such distaste for message boards". I don't
> > have a big screen TV but I have anything but distaste for them!
>
> Well, let me give you a different example. I don't have a TV at
> all, even though I could buy one. Knowing this, would you assume
> that I don't like watching it?

No, I wouldn't, as my point is that the lack of something doesn't
imply _any_one_thing_. There are many reasons why something may or
may not exist. Assuming that there is "such distaste for message
boards" is fallacious (as would be my assuming you don't like TV).

> The same thing with forum. It's a usual feature, just like website
> is. Would you be surprised if PHP had no website?

Yes, I would, particularly as I've been going to it for years.
Finding out that PHP had no website would definitely mess with my
perception of reality. But I disagree with your theory that having a
forum is implied by the technology. PHP is open source, so the fact
that ANYBODY freely supports it in any way is just plain nice.

> > Also, you should realize that your question could be rephrased as
> "Why
> > hasn't someone else done all this extra work (creating and
> managing a
> > forum) because I would prefer it?"
>
> Are you saying that I'm the only PHP user that might like
> discussing things on a forum?

I'm pretty sure I didn't say that but I'll have to check my notes.
I'm saying that you seem to be incredulous over the lack of something
which you think makes sense. But my point is that there can be any
number of reasons why php.net does not have a forum so the lack need
not be "ironic". In fact, that lack may even make sense (at least to
those that run the Web site).

> Besides, you're implying that maintaining forum is "extra work",
> while maintaining mailing lists isn't. Extra work for extra users
> you can live without, eh?

Eh? What? Well, it IS extra work. The mailing list exists and, many
believe, work just fine. Doing more than what is currently being done
is "extra", right? Or "more"? I'm almost positive about that.

Larry

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