[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #5348: Redirect legacy mobile subdomain forums into new support forums

[Making WordPress.org]

#5348: Redirect legacy mobile subdomain forums into new support forums
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 Reporter:  jonoaldersonwp  |      Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect          |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal          |  Milestone:
Component:  General         |   Keywords:
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 The forums at [https://blackberry.forums.wordpress.org/ Blacberry],
 [https://android.forums.wordpress.org/ Android],
 [https://nokia.forums.wordpress.org/ Nokia],
 [https://ios.forums.wordpress.org/ iOS] and
 [https://windowsphone.forums.wordpress.org/ Windows Phone] subdomains are
 at best stale, at worst spam soup, and in either case harmful to our SEO,
 branding and UX.

 I raised a suggestion to retire these last year and received no objections
 (see https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQC4LY/p1556027757013800).

 In an ideal world we'd attempt to migrate some of the useful content, but
 this requires more resource than we can reasonably throw at this.

 The plan:

 - Create a 'Mobile' support forum, with 'levels'* for 'Android', 'iOS' and
 'Other'.
 - Add a notice that the forums are going to close/move, and provide links
 to the new locations. Prevent the creation of new posts (but allow for
 responses).
 - After ~30 days, move to read-only in all scenarios, and update the
 notice to state that the forum is closed (and direct people to the new
 one)
 - After another ~30 days, redirect all requests to (any path on) the
 forums to their respective new support URL.
 - Archive/delete all content/filesystem cruft from the old sites.
 - Hand over moderation processes to existing support forum moderation
 workflows.


 >*"If this is what is the end result, I'm going to need a heads up, as it
 will require some code, we do not have support for leveled forums at this
 time on .org in our bbPress 2.x themes, but we can fix that if there's a
 need.
 >**@clorith** via
 [https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQC4LY/p1556457741000200?thread_ts=1556042303.021900&cid=C02RQC4LY
 Slack]

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Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/5348>
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