[knolleary]

We try hard to not dismiss them out of hand.

The issue template we use does try to steer the user to the forum or slack if it isn't a specific issue. But if they don't read the template and continue to raise an issue regardless, we will generally provide help in the issue and encourage them to use the other channels in the future.

One of the main reasons we prefer the general support type questions to be handled on the forum is the community on the forum is much larger than those paying attention to the github issue list. Someone asking a question on the forum will get a response much quicker than the issue list. It also takes the pressure off the core development team who ultimately, are only human.

Yes we could use labels and have the issue list as a mix of support, feature development tasks and genuine bugs. But we choose not to use it that way.

[BucketSort]

I don't like conflating the two concerns either, and I'm not saying you condone the behavior, but once it happens, dealing with it appropriately is important. You don't want people like the poster above going around feeling like their issue was unjustly ignored, and that they have no recourse for the resolution of their issue. I mean, do what you will... this is just a common thing I see which causes friction between users and maintainers.

[knolleary]

I agree, which is why I asked for an example of where they felt dismissed or ignored so we could understand and learn from it.

[kkarakk]

1. dismiss issues from actual users

2. rationalize decision

3. ask for examples when ex-users bring up stories of being dismissed. rarely get said examples coz ex-users have moved onto another project with actual support. this supports your decision to dismiss support issues and send them to the magically huge forum community.

4. why is no one using our project?why do we get badmouthed on STEM oriented social media?

There's a reason people goto github instead of forums, they're looking for technical help not a chat

[eitland]

Part of your answer is reasonable, I feel this a bit too.

But now you and others have a real opportunity to discuss the issue here on neutral ground and I feel it is rude to just dismiss the invitation to provide actual examples.

Even my favourite elitist deletionism club: Stack Overflow, has been changing their ways lately it seems and are accepting requests to undelete.