Free easy to use discussion forum for U3A group?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around finding a suitable free online discussion platform for a University of the Third Age (U3A) group that has been suspended due to the Coronavirus situation. Participants are exploring options that allow for easy setup of discussion threads without requiring advanced technical skills.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses the need for a user-friendly platform that allows for organized discussions similar to existing forums, mentioning groups.io as a potential option.
  • Another participant suggests using Skype as a possible platform for discussions.
  • A different participant proposes Mattermost.org, noting its free availability and capability for both public and private group discussions.
  • Another option mentioned is Rocket.Chat, specifically its community edition, with a link provided for further information.
  • One participant indicates that a Google search may yield additional options for discussion platforms.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present multiple competing views on suitable platforms, with no consensus reached on a single preferred option.

Contextual Notes

Participants have varying levels of technical expertise and specific needs regarding moderation and ease of use, which may influence the suitability of the suggested platforms.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals or groups seeking to establish online discussions in a user-friendly manner, particularly those with limited technical skills or experience with online forums.

sdo62
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Hi, I am the leader of a University of the Third Age discussion group which has just been suspended due to the ongoing Coronavirus situation. I am hoping to be able to continue our discussions online in some way.

All group members are tech savvy enough to use email, and search the internet, but aren’t on social media like Facebook and probably don’t have experience with any sort of online discussion forum. I am wondering if there is a free easy to use discussion platform which would allow me to set up online discussions similar to what is available here, with different threads for different topics.

I am aware of groups.io and will be investigating to see whether it would be suitable, but would appreciate any other suggestions. Note that my tech skills aren’t good enough to set up any sort of platform myself, so I am looking for something that is free to join that I can quickly set up threads as required – I don’t see any need for moderation as long as posting can be restricted to my group. Failing a suitable option, we will probably continue discussion by email, but that will inevitably get messy and hard to follow, I think
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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How about Skype?
 
How about Mattermost.org? I believe it’s free and it allows public and private groups to discuss things.
 

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