mirror of
https://github.com/squidfunk/mkdocs-material.git
synced 2024-11-27 17:00:54 +01:00
Added blog post on sunsetting Gitter
This commit is contained in:
parent
ddd125ee74
commit
a126d9e1f4
@ -3,3 +3,7 @@ authors:
|
||||
name: Martin Donath
|
||||
description: Creator
|
||||
avatar: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/932156
|
||||
alexvoss:
|
||||
name: Alex Voss
|
||||
description: Community support
|
||||
avatar: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/4134224
|
||||
|
97
docs/blog/posts/sunsetting-gitter.md
Normal file
97
docs/blog/posts/sunsetting-gitter.md
Normal file
@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
|
||||
---
|
||||
date: 2023-10-02
|
||||
authors: [squidfunk, alexvoss]
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- General
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
# Sunsetting Gitter: Towards Efficient Community Engagement
|
||||
|
||||
__As we're starting to build a team around Material for MkDocs, we've decided to
|
||||
sunset and archive our [Gitter] channel on October 13, 2023 in favor of
|
||||
[GitHub Discussions].__
|
||||
|
||||
As part of our efforts to improve the processes for maintaining Material for
|
||||
MkDocs and for supporting the community, we have reviewed the use of different
|
||||
communication channels. At the moment, both [Gitter] and [GitHub Discussions]
|
||||
allow to ask the community for support and to discuss ideas and issues. In the
|
||||
past weeks, we have begun to question whether this duplication is in the best
|
||||
interest of our project. This post explains the rationale behind our decision.
|
||||
|
||||
[our sponsors]: ../../insiders/index.md#how-to-become-a-sponsor
|
||||
[Gitter]: https://gitter.im/squidfunk/mkdocs-material
|
||||
[GitHub discussions]: https://github.com/squidfunk/mkdocs-material/discussions
|
||||
|
||||
<!-- more -->
|
||||
|
||||
## The Constraints of Gitter
|
||||
|
||||
In the first years of Material for MkDocs, [Gitter] served as a helpful platform
|
||||
for quick community interactions and questions. However, there are some inherent
|
||||
constraints that necessitated a shift. Here's a breakdown of the challenges we
|
||||
encountered:
|
||||
|
||||
1. __Thread utilization__ –
|
||||
Even with the introduction of threads, many Gitter users were reticent to
|
||||
use them, leading to cluttered and disconnected conversations, making it
|
||||
difficult to follow.
|
||||
|
||||
2. __Search and discovery__ –
|
||||
Gitter's structure and interface makes it cumbersome to search for and
|
||||
retrieve past messages, resulting in lost insights and repeated conversations.
|
||||
|
||||
1. __User interface__ –
|
||||
After the acquisition by [Matrix], the user interface of Gitter has
|
||||
experienced a severe decline, becoming more complicated, less intuitive and
|
||||
user-friendly.
|
||||
|
||||
1. __Access mandate__ –
|
||||
The necessity for users to grant access to their GitHub accounts to use
|
||||
Gitter posed an unnecessary access barrier and potential security concerns.
|
||||
|
||||
[Matrix]: https://matrix.org/
|
||||
|
||||
## GitHub Discussions
|
||||
|
||||
Thankfully, [GitHub Discussions] emerged and continues to evolve to be a much
|
||||
better alternative, eliminating many of Gitter's constraints and offering
|
||||
enhanced functionality:
|
||||
|
||||
1. __Threaded conversations__ –
|
||||
GitHub Discussions supports structured, threaded conversations, ensuring
|
||||
discussions are coherent, contextual, and easy to follow for everyone.
|
||||
|
||||
2. __Integration and linking__ –
|
||||
the platform facilitates seamless linking to other discussions, issues, code,
|
||||
and much more, enriching conversations and providing comprehensive context.
|
||||
|
||||
3. __A unified platform__ –
|
||||
GitHub acts as a one-stop shop for support, allowing users to access varied
|
||||
resources and support channels in one place, greatly improving user
|
||||
experience.
|
||||
|
||||
4. __Discoverability__ –
|
||||
GitHub Discussions are easily searchable and allow for categorization,
|
||||
preventing loss of valuable insights and fostering knowledge sharing.
|
||||
|
||||
## Conclusion
|
||||
|
||||
Sunsetting [Gitter] is a leap towards creating more efficient, user-friendly,
|
||||
and enriched community interactions. By consolidating communication to
|
||||
[GitHub Discussions], we seek to mitigate the fragmentation of information,
|
||||
ease the user journey, and fortify the bonds within our community.
|
||||
|
||||
This concentrated approach enables us to provide consistent, fast and quality
|
||||
support to our users. In the past, the nature of queries raised on Gitter
|
||||
typically necessitated supplementary information or reproductions, prompting us
|
||||
to advise users to initiate a discussion subsequently. The shift to a
|
||||
centralized discussion forum is designed to simplify and accelerate this
|
||||
procedure, ensuring swift and efficient resolutions for our community. It is a
|
||||
testament to our ongoing commitment to support the community that helps Material
|
||||
for MkDocs flourish.
|
||||
|
||||
We are confident that this streamlined approach will spur more
|
||||
fruitful discussions, innovative ideas, and collective growth, and we are
|
||||
excited to continue our journey with the unwavering support and active
|
||||
participation of our community.
|
||||
|
Loading…
Reference in New Issue
Block a user