Beyond Lobsters: The Search for General Programming Communities in the Post-Discord Era

The recent Discord news has sparked an interesting conversation about where programmers gather to discuss their craft beyond the confines of project-specific forums and article-commentary platforms like Lobsters. When rtpg posed the question about general programming forums or mailing lists, it tapped into a genuine need that many developers feel but struggle to articulate: where do we have those meandering, exploratory conversations about programming that don't necessarily start with a specific article or project?

This isn't just idle curiosity. The limitations of current platforms have become increasingly apparent. Lobsters excels at thoughtful commentary on technical articles, but as rtpg notes, "certain longer form conversations don't have a place" when discussions must be in response to some external content. There's a hunger for spaces where programmers can explore ideas, ask questions, and engage in the kind of free-flowing technical discourse that characterized earlier internet communities.

[[IMAGE:1]]

The nostalgia for Usenet is palpable in these responses. Jaredkrinke's observation that "In the past, I think Usenet served this function" resonates with many who remember when programming discussions happened in broad, topic-agnostic forums. The decentralized nature of Usenet allowed for genuine community building around programming as a discipline rather than around specific technologies or companies. Today, Reddit represents perhaps the closest modern equivalent, though many would argue it lacks the depth and quality that characterized earlier forums.

The technical infrastructure discussion reveals interesting preferences and pain points. Discourse emerges as a popular but controversial choice. While rtpg appreciates the Django and Python forums that use it, "everyone who runs it complains." The deployment complexity and resource requirements seem to be the main sticking points. Koala's suggestion of managed services or Zulip's free tier offers practical alternatives, though each comes with its own trade-offs in terms of features and community fit.

What's particularly fascinating is the exploration of what constitutes the "minimal level" of scoping for a successful forum. Rtpg's mention of Whirlpool forums—"internet stuff... for people in Australia"—suggests that even the narrowest of parameters can create a thriving community. This raises interesting questions about whether programming forums need any specific focus at all, or whether the shared identity of being programmers is sufficient to sustain meaningful discussion.

The Fediverse presents an intriguing possibility. Smlckz's question about Threadiverse platforms like Lemmy, Kbin/Mbin, and PieFed points toward a decentralized future where communities can form around broad topics without being locked into a single platform's ecosystem. The federated nature of these platforms could potentially solve the critical mass problem that plagues new forums—users could participate across instances while maintaining a unified community identity.

Kevin's observation that "This discussion isn't in response to an article; you asked a question and that's all it took" is particularly insightful. It suggests that perhaps the solution isn't creating an entirely new platform, but rather reimagining how existing ones like Lobsters could evolve. The tag system already provides some categorization, but perhaps more explicit forum-style organization could bridge the gap between article commentary and open discussion.

There's also the question of what we're actually trying to achieve with these spaces. Are we looking for technical support forums? Places to share discoveries and learnings? Communities for career development and mentorship? The answers likely vary by individual, but the common thread seems to be the desire for sustained, meaningful interaction with fellow programmers outside the constraints of project-specific or article-focused platforms.

The challenge of building critical mass remains perhaps the most significant hurdle. Rtpg's hesitation to spin up a new forum "beyond building critical mass" reflects a reality that many have discovered: the internet is littered with abandoned forums that couldn't attract enough participants to sustain themselves. This is where the idea of a "sibling forum to lobste.rs" becomes particularly appealing—leveraging an existing community while providing space for different types of conversation.

What's clear from this discussion is that there's genuine demand for general programming communities that aren't tied to specific technologies or content formats. The question isn't whether such spaces are needed, but rather how to create them in a way that's sustainable, accessible, and maintains the quality of discourse that programmers value. Whether through reimagining existing platforms, building new federated communities, or finding the right balance of focus and openness, the search for the next generation of programming forums continues.

The irony isn't lost that this very conversation—about the need for general programming forums—is happening on a platform that exemplifies the article-commentary model these programmers are seeking to move beyond. Perhaps that's the first sign that change is already underway.