Added blog post on sunsetting Gitter

docs/blog/.authors.yml

@@ -3,3 +3,7 @@ authors:
     name: Martin Donath
     description: Creator
     avatar: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/932156
+  alexvoss:
+    name: Alex Voss
+    description: Community support
+    avatar: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/4134224

docs/blog/posts/sunsetting-gitter.md

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+---
+date: 2023-10-02
+authors: [squidfunk, alexvoss]
+categories:
+  - General
+---
+
+# Sunsetting Gitter: Towards Efficient Community Engagement
+
+__As we're starting to build a team around Material for MkDocs, we've decided to
+sunset and archive our [Gitter] channel on October 13, 2023 in favor of
+[GitHub Discussions].__
+
+As part of our efforts to improve the processes for maintaining Material for
+MkDocs and for supporting the community, we have reviewed the use of different
+communication channels. At the moment, both [Gitter] and [GitHub Discussions]
+allow to ask the community for support and to discuss ideas and issues. In the
+past weeks, we have begun to question whether this duplication is in the best
+interest of our project. This post explains the rationale behind our decision.
+
+  [our sponsors]: ../../insiders/index.md#how-to-become-a-sponsor
+  [Gitter]: https://gitter.im/squidfunk/mkdocs-material
+  [GitHub discussions]: https://github.com/squidfunk/mkdocs-material/discussions
+
+<!-- more -->
+
+## The Constraints of Gitter
+
+In the first years of Material for MkDocs, [Gitter] served as a helpful platform
+for quick community interactions and questions. However, there are some inherent
+constraints that necessitated a shift. Here's a breakdown of the challenges we
+encountered:
+
+1. __Thread utilization__ –
+   Even with the introduction of threads, many Gitter users were reticent to
+   use them, leading to cluttered and disconnected conversations, making it
+    difficult to follow.
+
+2. __Search and discovery__ –
+   Gitter's structure and interface makes it cumbersome to search for and
+   retrieve past messages, resulting in lost insights and repeated conversations.
+
+1. __User interface__ –
+   After the acquisition by [Matrix], the user interface of Gitter has
+   experienced a severe decline, becoming more complicated, less intuitive and
+   user-friendly.
+
+1. __Access mandate__ –
+   The necessity for users to grant access to their GitHub accounts to use
+   Gitter posed an unnecessary access barrier and potential security concerns.
+
+  [Matrix]: https://matrix.org/
+
+## GitHub Discussions
+
+Thankfully, [GitHub Discussions] emerged and continues to evolve to be a much
+better alternative, eliminating many of Gitter's constraints and offering
+enhanced functionality:
+
+1. __Threaded conversations__ –
+   GitHub Discussions supports structured, threaded conversations, ensuring
+   discussions are coherent, contextual, and easy to follow for everyone.
+
+2. __Integration and linking__ –
+   the platform facilitates seamless linking to other discussions, issues, code,
+   and much more, enriching conversations and providing comprehensive context.
+
+3. __A unified platform__ –
+   GitHub acts as a one-stop shop for support, allowing users to access varied
+   resources and support channels in one place, greatly improving user
+   experience.
+
+4. __Discoverability__ –
+   GitHub Discussions are easily searchable and allow for categorization,
+   preventing loss of valuable insights and fostering knowledge sharing.
+
+## Conclusion
+
+Sunsetting [Gitter] is a leap towards creating more efficient, user-friendly,
+and enriched community interactions. By consolidating communication to
+[GitHub Discussions], we seek to mitigate the fragmentation of information,
+ease the user journey, and fortify the bonds within our community.
+
+This concentrated approach enables us to provide consistent, fast and quality
+support to our users. In the past, the nature of queries raised on Gitter
+typically necessitated supplementary information or reproductions, prompting us
+to advise users to initiate a discussion subsequently. The shift to a
+centralized discussion forum is designed to simplify and accelerate this
+procedure, ensuring swift and efficient resolutions for our community. It is a
+testament to our ongoing commitment to support the community that helps Material
+for MkDocs flourish.
+
+We are confident that this streamlined approach will spur more
+fruitful discussions, innovative ideas, and collective growth, and we are
+excited to continue our journey with the unwavering support and active
+participation of our community.
+