From d17a00379e7ab5601ffc7da0a53b0c9f9d48a567 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Lou Logan Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2017 14:35:12 -0800 Subject: doc: Add mailing list FAQ Signed-off-by: Lou Logan Reviewed-by: Kieran O Leary Reviewed-by: Carl Eugen Hoyos --- doc/mailing-list-faq.texi | 366 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 366 insertions(+) create mode 100644 doc/mailing-list-faq.texi (limited to 'doc/mailing-list-faq.texi') diff --git a/doc/mailing-list-faq.texi b/doc/mailing-list-faq.texi new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..fe2171e42e --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/mailing-list-faq.texi @@ -0,0 +1,366 @@ +\input texinfo @c -*- texinfo -*- +@documentencoding UTF-8 + +@settitle FFmpeg Mailing List FAQ +@titlepage +@center @titlefont{FFmpeg Mailing List FAQ} +@end titlepage + +@top + +@contents + +@chapter General Questions + +@section What is a mailing list? + +A mailing list is not much different than emailing someone, but the +main difference is that your message is received by everyone who +subscribes to the list. It is somewhat like a forum but in email form. + +See the @url{https://lists.ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-user/, ffmpeg-user archives} +for examples. + +@section What type of questions can I ask? + +@itemize +@item +@url{https://lists.ffmpeg.org/mailman/listinfo/ffmpeg-user/, ffmpeg-user}: +For questions involving unscripted usage or compilation of the FFmpeg +command-line tools (@command{ffmpeg}, @command{ffprobe}, @command{ffplay}, +@command{ffserver}). + +@item +@url{https://lists.ffmpeg.org/mailman/listinfo/libav-user/, libav-user}: +For questions involving the FFmpeg libav* libraries (libavcodec, +libavformat, libavfilter, etc). + +@item +@url{https://lists.ffmpeg.org/mailman/listinfo/ffmpeg-devel/, ffmpeg-devel}: +For discussions involving the development of FFmpeg and for submitting +patches. User questions should be asked at ffmpeg-user or libav-user. +@end itemize + +To report a bug see @url{https://ffmpeg.org/bugreports.html}. + +We cannot provide help for scripts and/or third-party tools. + +@anchor{How do I ask a question or send a message to a mailing list?} +@section How do I ask a question or send a message to a mailing list? + +All you have to do is send an email: + +@itemize +@item +Email @email{ffmpeg-user@@ffmpeg.org} to send a message to the +ffmpeg-user mailing list. + +@item +Email @email{libav-user@@ffmpeg.org} to send a message to the +libav-user mailing list. +@end itemize + +If you are not subscribed to the mailing list then your question must be +manually approved. Approval may take several days, but the wait is +usually less. If you want the message to be sent with no delay then you +must subscribe first. See @ref{How do I subscribe?} + +Please do not send a message, subscribe, and re-send the message: this +results in duplicates, causes more work for the admins, and may lower +your chance at getting an answer. However, you may do so if you first +@ref{How do I delete my message in the moderation queue?, delete your original message from the moderation queue}. + +@chapter Subscribing / Unsubscribing + +@section What does subscribing do? + +Subscribing allows two things: + +@itemize +@item +Your messages will show up in the mailing list without waiting in the +moderation queue and needing to be manually approved by a mailing list +admin. + +@item +You will receive all messages to the mailing list including replies to +your messages. Non-subscribed users do not receive any messages. +@end itemize + +@section Do I need to subscribe? + +No. You can still send a message to the mailing list without +subscribing. See @ref{How do I ask a question or send a message to a mailing list?} + +However, your message will need to be manually approved by a mailing +list admin, and you will not receive any mailing list messages or +replies. + +You can ask to be CCd in your message, but replying users will +sometimes forget to do so. + +You may also view and reply to messages via the @ref{Where are the archives?, archives}. + +@anchor{How do I subscribe?} +@section How do I subscribe? + +Email @email{ffmpeg-user-request@@ffmpeg.org} with the subject +@emph{subscribe}. + +Or visit the @url{https://lists.ffmpeg.org/mailman/listinfo/ffmpeg-user/, ffmpeg-user mailing list info page} +and refer to the @emph{Subscribing to ffmpeg-user} section. + +The process is the same for the other mailing lists. + +@section How do I unsubscribe? + +Email @email{ffmpeg-user-request@@ffmpeg.org} with subject @emph{unsubscribe}. + +Or visit the @url{https://lists.ffmpeg.org/mailman/listinfo/ffmpeg-user/, ffmpeg-user mailing list info page}, +scroll to bottom of page, enter your email address in the box, and click +the @emph{Unsubscribe or edit options} button. + +The process is the same for the other mailing lists. + +Please avoid asking a mailing list admin to unsubscribe you unless you +are absolutely unable to do so by yourself. See @ref{Who do I contact if I have a problem with the mailing list?} + +@chapter Moderation Queue +@anchor{Why is my message awaiting moderator approval?} +@section Why is my message awaiting moderator approval? + +Some messages are automatically held in the @emph{moderation queue} and +must be manually approved by a mailing list admin: + +These are: + +@itemize +@item +Messages from users who are @strong{not} subscribed. + +@item +Messages that exceed the @ref{What is the message size limit?, message size limit}. + +@item +Messages from users whose accounts have been set with the @emph{moderation flag} +(very rarely occurs, but may if a user repeatedly ignores the rules +or is abusive towards others). +@end itemize + +@section How long does it take for my message in the moderation queue to be approved? + +The queue is usually checked once or twice a day, but on occasion +several days may pass before someone checks the queue. + +@anchor{How do I delete my message in the moderation queue?} +@section How do I delete my message in the moderation queue? + +You should have received an email with the subject @emph{Your message to ffmpeg-user awaits moderator approval}. +A link is in the message that will allow you to delete your message +unless a mailing list admin already approved or rejected it. + +@chapter Archives + +@anchor{Where are the archives?} +@section Where are the archives? + +See the @emph{Archives} section on the @url{https://ffmpeg.org/contact.html, FFmpeg Contact} +page for links to all FFmpeg mailing list archives. + +Note that the archives are split by month. Discussions that span +several months will be split into separate months in the archives. + +@section How do I reply to a message in the archives? + +Click the email link at the top of the message just under the subject +title. The link will provide the proper headers to keep the message +within the thread. + +@section How do I search the archives? + +Perform a site search using your favorite search engine. Example: + +@t{site:lists.ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-user/ "search term"} + +@chapter Other + +@section Is there an alternative to the mailing list? + +You can ask for help in the official @t{#ffmpeg} IRC channel on Freenode. + +Some users prefer the third-party Nabble interface which presents the +mailing lists in a typical forum layout. + +There are also numerous third-party help sites such as Super User and +r/ffmpeg on reddit. + +@anchor{What is top-posting?} +@section What is top-posting? + +See @url{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style#Top-posting}. + +Instead, use trimmed interleaved/inline replies (@url{https://lists.ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-user/2017-April/035849.html, example}). + +@anchor{What is the message size limit?} +@section What is the message size limit? + +The message size limit is 500 kilobytes for the user lists and 1000 +kilobytes for ffmpeg-devel. Please provide links to larger files instead +of attaching them. + +@section Where can I upload sample files? + +Anywhere that is not too annoying for us to use. + +Google Drive and Dropbox are acceptable if you need a file host, and +0x0.st is good for files under 256 MiB. + +Small, short samples are preferred if possible. + +@section Will I receive spam if I send and/or subscribe to a mailing list? + +Highly unlikely. + +@itemize +@item +The list of subscribed users is not public. + +@item +Email addresses in the archives are obfuscated. + +@item +Several unique test email accounts were utilized and none have yet +received any spam. +@end itemize + +However, you may see a spam in the mailing lists on rare occasions: + +@itemize +@item +Spam in the moderation queue may be accidentally approved due to human +error. + +@item +There have been a few messages from subscribed users who had their own +email addresses hacked and spam messages from (or appearing to be from) +the hacked account were sent to their contacts (a mailing list being a +contact in these cases). + +@item +If you are subscribed to the bug tracker mailing list (ffmpeg-trac) you +may see the occasional spam as a false bug report, but we take measures +to try to prevent this. +@end itemize + +@section How do I filter mailing list messages? + +Use the @emph{List-Id}. For example, the ffmpeg-user mailing list is +@t{ffmpeg-user.ffmpeg.org}. You can view the List-Id in the raw message +or headers. + +You can then filter the mailing list messages to their own folder. + +@chapter Rules and Etiquette + +@section What are the rules and the proper etiquette? + +There may seem to be many things to remember, but we want to help and +following these guidelines will allow you to get answers more quickly +and help avoid getting ignored. + +@itemize +@item +Always show your actual, unscripted @command{ffmpeg} command and the +complete, uncut console output from your command. + +@item +Use the most simple and minimal command that still shows the issue you +are encountering. + +@item +Provide all necessary information so others can attempt to duplicate +your issue. This includes the actual command, complete uncut console +output, and any inputs that are required to duplicate the issue. + +@item +Use the latest @command{ffmpeg} build you can get. See the @url{https://ffmpeg.org/download.html, FFmpeg Download} +page for links to recent builds for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Or +compile from the current git master branch. + +@item +Avoid @url{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style#Top-posting, top-posting}. +Also see @ref{What is top-posting?} + +@item +Avoid hijacking threads. Thread hijacking is replying to a message and +changing the subject line to something unrelated to the original thread. +Most email clients will still show the renamed message under the +original thread. This can be confusing and these types of messages are +often ignored. + +@item +Do not send screenshots. Copy and paste console text instead of making +screenshots of the text. + +@item +Avoid sending email disclaimers and legalese if possible as this is a +public list. + +@item +Avoid using the @code{-loglevel debug}, @code{-loglevel quiet}, and +@command{-hide_banner} options unless requested to do so. + +@item +If you attach files avoid compressing small files. Uncompressed is +preferred. + +@item +Please do not send HTML-only messages. The mailing list will ignore the +HTML component of your message. Most mail clients will automatically +include a text component: this is what the mailing list will use. + +@item +Configuring your mail client to break lines after 70 or so characters is +recommended. + +@item +Avoid sending the same message to multiple mailing lists. + +@item +Please follow our @url{https://ffmpeg.org/developer.html#Code-of-conduct, Code of Conduct}. +@end itemize + +@chapter Help + +@section Why am I not receiving any messages? + +Some email providers have blacklists or spam filters that block or mark +the mailing list messages as false positives. Unfortunately, the user is +often not aware of this and is often out of their control. + +When possible we attempt to notify the provider to be removed from the +blacklists or filters. + +@section Why are my sent messages not showing up? + +Excluding @ref{Why is my message awaiting moderator approval?, messages that are held in the moderation queue} +there are a few other reasons why your messages may fail to appear: + +@itemize +@item +HTML-only messages are ignored by the mailing lists. Most mail clients +automatically include a text component alongside HTML email: this is what +the mailing list will use. If it does not then consider your client to be +broken, because sending a text component along with the HTML component to +form a multi-part message is recommended by email standards. + +@item +Check your spam folder. +@end itemize + +@anchor{Who do I contact if I have a problem with the mailing list?} +@section Who do I contact if I have a problem with the mailing list? + +Send a message to @email{ffmpeg-user-owner@@ffmpeg.org}. + +@bye -- cgit v1.2.3