Edit: Does this even exist anymore?
Originally posted February 4, 2014 on AIXchange
Where do you go when you have questions and need help? Do you talk to a coworker? Call IBM Support? Head straight to Google?
One option you may not be familiar with is the IBM AIX Discussion list. Mailing lists may seem like a relic from the Internet’s early days, but rest assured, they’re still out there. However, for you younger folks, I’ll include this brief backgrounder from Wikipedia:
“An electronic mailing list or email list is a special usage of email that allows for widespread distribution of information to many Internet users. It is similar to a traditional mailing list— a list of names and addresses— as might be kept by an organization for sending publications to its members or customers, but typically refers to four things:
- a list of email addresses,
- the people (“subscribers”) receiving mail at those addresses,
- the publications (email messages) sent to those addresses, and
- a reflector, which is a single email address that, when designated as the recipient of a message, will send a copy of that message to all of the subscribers.”
According to its website, the IBM AIX Discussion list “is intended for the discussion of AIX. AIX is the IBM Unix solution for small and large computer systems. Initially, this list will be used for dissemination of information and technical details of AIX on all levels. It may be necessary to break this list down into machine types that AIX will run on.”
You can join the mailing list, browse the archives, or search the archives. If you don’t want every message (and associated replies) coming into your inbox, just subscribe to the mailing list digest. That way you’ll only receive one daily email containing all the discussion from the previous 24 hours.
I forget when this list was established, but I’ve been using it for many years. Lately though it seems there’s been a bit more traffic. Still, the more the better, so I thought I’d mention it here. If you have questions about AIX and PowerVM, the IBM AIX Discussion list is a great place to get answers. I recognize quite a few of the names of participants, and these are knowledgeable, trustworthy people. And as mentioned, even if you don’t get into the discussion, the archives offer an invaluable repository of information.
Are you familiar with the list? If so, are you part of the conversation, or are you a lurker? If you have questions — and we all have questions from time to time — I encourage you to subscribe and make use of this tool.