Elastic has transitioned from using multiple mailing lists to a centralized online discussion forum to better support its community as it scales development on open-source projects like Elasticsearch and Logstash. The company found the previous system of separate mailing lists, including those for non-English speakers, to be confusing for newcomers and noisy due to diverse user questions. The new forum, accessible via discuss.elastic.co, aims to streamline communication and provide a more user-friendly experience, allowing users to create profiles using various authentication methods such as GitHub, Facebook, and Google Apps, and manage email preferences for easier interaction. Elastic encourages users to join the conversation on the forum and provide feedback on the new tool to enhance their experience.