Email lists v's Discussion Boards

It would depend upon the individuals needs and preferences. Some people prefer to have the information sent to them as in email lists, where the participant only has to send 1 email which is then sent to the entire group. The downside of this is that an awful lot of email is generated and it can become oppressive. Email lists can be a effective way of receiving and sending information as the members only need to check their inbox.

I wouldn't want all that email directed at me it would be frustrating and time consuming sorting through it all to find a specific piece of information and quite frankly I would have better things to do.

As for discussion boards they are generally located online and the users have to sign into a website to access the community, the boards can be set up in such a way that it is easier to find a group that is talking on a subject or topic that you wish to participate in. The downside being there is no immediate response to your posts and you may have to check in frequently to find your answer. Although I have found that generally in an active discussion board most questions are usually already answered you just need to look.

I would say that a discussion board is definitely more suited for learning purposes or research, and email lists would be better suited for hobbyists, gossip and general news.