# About This Forum

Use this forum to:

   1.  Ask questions about using or programming with SQLite.
   2.  Report bugs against SQLite.
   3.  Report documentation issues with SQLite or suggest
       ways to improve the documentation.
   4.  Ask for new features in SQLite.
   5.  Seek instruction on how SQLite operates internally.
   6.  Discuss other software that is hosted in the
       SQLite source code repository such as
       [Lemon][lemon] or [althttpd.c][althttpd].

This forum replaces the old SQLite mailing list, which is no longer
supported.

## Why A Forum Instead Of A Mailing List?

Advantages to this forum include:

  *  Messages can be formatted using plain-text,
     [Markdown][md], or [Fossil-Wiki][wiki] and the display will
     be consistent across all platforms.  Formatting is no longer
     subject to the idiosyncrasies of diverse email readers.

  *  It is much easier for anonymous passers-by to post questions
     or comments since they do not have to go through a sign-up
     and email verification procedure.

  *  Messages can be edited if mistakes are discovered after
     posting.

  *  Users can sign up to receive forum posts via email so that
     the forum works a lot like a traditional mailing list.  But
     unlike a traditional mailing list, email is not required.

  *  Full-text search is built-in

  *  Multiple display modes:

     or
     [on a timeline](/timeline?ss=v&y=f&n=20&vfx&nsm).

  *  Improved privacy protections.  Users can participate with
     full anonymity.  Or, if you choose to sign in, the system
     never reveals your email address to other users.

  *  The entire history of discussion can be cloned and downloaded
     for use off-line.

  *  The forum seems to work better than email on mobile
     devices.

  *  The Forum software works with any web server.
     (MailMan, which was the software used in the legacy mailing list
     apparently requires the use of Apache - or at least *we* were
     never able to get it to work with another web server such as
     [althttpd][althttpd] used by the rest of the SQLite website.)

  *  Automatic back-ups using Fossil's sync mechanism.

  *  The use of Forum software reduces the SQLite project's
     dependence on external software (MailMan) and services


[lemon]:
[althttpd]:
[md]: /md_rules
[wiki]: /wiki_rules