Re: Gitlab Migration

[Arthur Miller <arthur.miller@live.com>]

Tim Cross <theophilusx@gmail.com> writes:

> Arthur Miller <arthur.miller@live.com> writes:
>
>>
>> I understand, but that can also be interpretted as if they prefer mail as
>> they getting more experienced.
>
> Yes, I already pointed that out and said we won't know until more time
> has passed. 
>
>> I also don't really understand what is problem
>> with emails. Smartphones have almost removed distinction between a so called an
>> instant message and and email. Email has become just yet another messaging
>> media.
>>
>
> Some of it is about ensuring all necessary information is included. In
> many 'business' processes, email is a problem because people neglect to
> include crucial information in the message. If on the other hand, they
> are required to fill in a form, then mandatory or important information
> can be gathered and the content will be in a set format, enabling easier
> automation of processing.
>
> Despite what others have claimed, the security problems with email have
> NOT been addressed. It is still one of the major vectors for
> compromising access via social engineering, major vector for infection
> from ransomeware, frequent source of privacy breeches and a common means
> used to get sensitive data out of an organisation. Even having encrypted
> messages is overly complex for most users and a nightmare to administer
> for large organisations. Some of these issues can be partially mitigated
> through training/education and various technologies, but these tend to
> significantly increase the cost and administration overheads and often
> make the service less convenient for users. There is also an element of
> it all being 'too hard' (from an administration perspective). 
>
> For younger people, I suspect part of it is just a perception of email
> as being old and outdated and not fitting as well with their 'style' of
> communication, which tends to be about short messages and group chat in
> near 'real time'.

That can be the case. Mail is not so good group conversations, indeed.

>> What I have suggested in several comments by now, is that it is maybe possible
>> to tuck git workflow on existing mail workflow. Maybe some tasks could be
>> automated I don't know.
>>
>
> I'm sure we could use git facilities to enhance the existing workflows,
> but that isn't what people are asking for. Those using the existing
> email based workflows are not the ones suggesting adoption of more
> github/gitlab type functionality. I get the impression that those who
> use the existing workflows are quite happy with the current situation.
> this is what makes the suggestion of sourceHut as a solution uncertain
> as it isn't clear it would provide the web UI facilities being asked for
> and may only add a little sugar to the existing workflows, which may
> make the effort and change management overhead of adoption harder to
> justify. 

What I mean, is that we could maybe masquerade mail worfklow as git worfklow so
those that prefer git workflow can feel somewhat at home. While nobody has speak
of it, or I have missed it, it can happen that sourceHut is not what those
hypotetical developers ask for. It might be that they come up wit other
arguments and refute sourceHut as yet another burden they need to overcome. I
feel that many would prefer platform they are already in, i.e. github or gitlab,
becuase everybody else is there, they work is exposed to the public
(self-promotion), they already contribute to other projects there, etc. Does not
have to be so, but I would leave an option that it might be case too.

>> So will your university listen to the students and open a discord channel or
>> was it snappchat they prefer? Sorry, hope you don't mind a joke.
>
> Don't know, I retired and no longer work there. They did introduce
> 'Facebook for Business' for staff and certainly were looking at how to
'Facebook for Business' - my company use that too. I work for a large company
that is established over entire country and worldwide, so they have installed
Workplace (as facebook for business is called) and switched everything to
facebook.

> incorporate various social media platforms. However, social media makes
> them (administration) nervous because they cannot control it (which in
> itself shows a flaw or outdated thinking within administration's
> attitude).
>
> I think some of Eli's comments are quite relevant to this discussion.
> There probably needs to be more clarity about exactly what the
> requirements or final goal is here. There are lots of opinions about
> what would be a good solution, but less clarity regarding what precisely
> those requirements are.