From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from smtp017.mail.yahoo.com ([216.136.174.114]) by speech.braille.uwo.ca with smtp (Exim 3.34 #1 (Debian)) id 16qgqq-0001oa-00 for ; Thu, 28 Mar 2002 15:50:28 -0500 Received: from h0020780ec921.ne.client2.attbi.com (HELO mycomputer) (igueths@24.62.33.0 with login) by smtp.mail.vip.sc5.yahoo.com with SMTP; 28 Mar 2002 20:50:29 -0000 Message-ID: <001d01c1d699$052a8ea0$01213e18@mycomputer> From: "Igor Gueths" To: Subject: flame wars? Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 15:42:03 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2615.200 Sender: speakup-admin@braille.uwo.ca Errors-To: speakup-admin@braille.uwo.ca X-BeenThere: speakup@braille.uwo.ca X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.8 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: speakup@braille.uwo.ca List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: Speakup is a screen review system for Linux. List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: Hi all. I am writing this to the entire list because someone is agreeing = with Kerry on the following fact (s), and I hope that things can get = straightened out. Kerry brought up a rather interesting point today and yesterday. Her = point was that she was trying to tell me, and possibly others on the = list that people weren't looking through documentation before posting to = the list. I just would like to state the fact that in terms of me, I = don't use the list as a first resort. In my example yesterday about the = user accounts, I didn't find a reference to userdel in the adduser man = page. So I just thought that I would ask about it. She also brought up = the fact that she thought that list traffic would be minimized if people = stopped asking questions they could otherwise find in man pages and/or = other documentation. I can tell you right now that this list doesn't = even have a fraction of the traffic that a list like Debian-user or = Debian-bugs has. I would estimate that they get about 100 messages or = more per hour through these two lists. I was subscribed to Debian-user = for some time, and I got back a couple of days later to check my mail = and I had about 400 messages. So as far as I am concerned, list traffic = is not an issue here. Also, I think that any question should be able to = be asked and answered. For example, I read about the problems that = Cheryl was having, and I decided to reply. I like to be helpfull, and to = be able to share my knolige with people so that I can help them out. I = can't say that this is a definite exactly, but in my opinion, Kerry = seems to think otherwise. I don't know if she is trying to single me out = here because of what I asked yesterday. Also, someone replied and added = that they agreed with her about the stupid question thing. In other = words, she stated that people should read docs and use the list as a = last resort. I think that this is all well and true, but then she also = said that users should be turned away from a list if some people think = that the user is using the list as a first resort instead of reading = documentation? I disagree with the last point. And I think that Anne = will agree with me on this. Even if the poster hasn't read the docs = before asking his/her question, reply to the message with an answer, and = then tell them where they can get more information. This way, they learn = where the documentation for their answer is available, plus they might = find other useful information. Also, refrane from flaming posters just = because they asked a question on a mailing list which in someone's = opinion, the answer is readily available in a document. What I'm trying = to say from all this is that we shouldn't start flaming users just = because they ask "stupid" questions. Also, I want to make sure that I am = not a target of such a flame.=20 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com