Yeh, my primary worry is that discussion.fp.o has so much there that once someone gets there, we can't provide a general simple "safe path" for them to follow. I don't know if the welcome-to-fedora process will work if people introduce themselves on discussion.fp.o, and in doing so "dive in at the deep end".

So I guess I prefer the current system: that they introduce themselves on the ML and speak to folks who are actively engaged in helping newbies in a "protected environment" (which is not the case on discussion.fp.o---one day someone may respond, another they may not etc.). Later, when they're comfortable, we help them join teams anyway---so then they introduce themselves on MLs or Discussion.fp.o depending on what the team they're interested in uses.

Starting from this thread on join ml opened by @mattdm

What do you think if we suggest to newcomers to introduce themselves on discussions.f.o. instead of on the join mailing list?

On discussion there is the chance that more community people read the introduction, and there is a major chance of interactions. After all on the mailing list many community members from various teams are not involved.
On the other hand, the join mailing list is like a "safe zone", where newcomers are not intimidated to present themselves publicly on a forum.

another comment of this, It is true that everyone could help, and we should train all the helpers in the Welcome Work-flow, this would also bring confusion of much information and opinions from different hands ...

Regards.,