alt Hacker NewsI agree that there is a steep learning curve compared to Github pull requests or Gitlab merge requests, but like many things the steep learning curve actually hides a very powerful tool. A famous example is the Linux Kernel, a project of such a size that simply can not work with the Github/Gitlab model.
I would use the word "exception" rather than "example".
I doubt the next generation of programmers will have any idea what it means to contribute code "by mailing list".