Communication

Successful Open Source requires good and plentiful communication without friction.

We always prioritize and favor using open solutions and Open Source platforms and technologies rather than closed ones - even if the proprietary ones often look shiny and have fancy features. Because it is better to practice what we preach and because it is then less likely that a commercial vendor suddenly at a whim makes decisions that hurt your Open Source project.

In the before-2000 era using email and mailing lists were the natural choice. For later generations they are not at all as commonly preferred which actually is a challenge because going over to web based solution forces you to a higher degree have to select a platform to use for communication.

Whatever technology and platform you use, pick one with low barriers to entry that makes it easy for newcomers and oldies alike. Closed or open, chances are that you will use a service that is hosted by others so no matter which you run with, you will always risk that the service gets shut down abruptly one day and you get to move on to something else. Just embrace it and accept that nothing is forever. If data is important to you, make sure you export and/or back it up regularly so that it survives the death of your current platform of choice.

Having dedicated, appointed, official communication channels helps users find the best place to ask questions and discuss ideas.