A week ago, the concept of a Stack Exchange was completely foreign to me. I had used many traditional forums before, and I have been fairly active on Ubuntu Forums. But, excited to try something new, I committed to participate in the private beta of the proposed Ubuntu Stack Exchange.
Over the past week, I have asked three questions, answered twenty-one questions (four were accepted), and earned over seven hundred reputation points. I’ve added a sidebar widget to promote the Exchange and show off my stats.
I have learned that the biggest difference between an Exchange and a forum is the intensity level. A forum is very laid-back because there is not much at stake. If you write a bad question or answer, people simply ignore it. Unless you are obnoxious, you’ll do just fine.
On a Stack Exchange, you are awarded for your good effort and punished for your lack of it. This makes stepping on toes inevitable, but in my opinion it makes for a more productive community.
It’s a trade-off, and there will be many people using both. I’ll continue to use both for the foreseeable future, though I’ll probably start asking more questions on the Exchange than the Forums.
The public beta begins in ten minutes, so go over to the Ubuntu Exchange and try it for yourself!
