On Thu, 2003-10-16 at 03:28, T. Ribbrock wrote: > <snip> > Yes, that's exactly my point. If I'm on a mailing list I've recently > joined (or that I don't follow closely) and if I have a question > (doesn't matter which topic), the *first* thing I do is to check whether > the list has an archive, then search the archive. If I can't find the > answer or can't understand the answer I've found, then I post. > That should be the *default* behaviour of everyone using this medium, out > of common courtesy with regard to the other list members. Also, it's > common Netiquette. Hence, I consider it important to politely remind > people of this when necessary. > > Having said that, I tend to be more lenient on RHL lists, as there are > no obvious, usable archives for RH's list, a great failure on RH's > part. IMO, this really shows their lack of support for "ordinary > users" (and has done so for some years). Not everybody knows about > MARC (see sig), so I can't really blame anyone for not searching the > archives for this list. Again, this is Red Hat's fault. > > > [...] > > As someone else said, if you don't like the question, don't answer. > > And let everybody think that such behaviour (i.e. *not* using > documentation/archives) is ok? If that was the case, this list would > become unusable soon. I've seen very helpful people leave the list due > to high traffic and too many FAQs in the past and I'd rather not see > it again. However, I repeat: *Never* answer in a rude way (which is > also common Nettiquette). > > Cheerio, > > Thomas <snip> Well, then, if we are to look up the answers ourselves, and frankly the resources in a lot of cases are lacking, incomplete, etc., and we aren't welcomed here to ask questions, then what good is this list? I have been on bb's, Compuserve groups, lists, etc, almost since the first PCs got online. This is the first time I have been involved with a list that doesn't want to answer questions or share experiences. Maybe it is my history, but one of the best lists/groups/forums, I ever was involved with was the Homebrewers. There was often flame wars started over who had the better mill, Listerman was a member of the group, or what hops were better, or whether it was better to be all grain, extract, etc. But we all took this lightly. Every time a flame war erupted, we just said there we go again. It was a great group of guys, one of which was Pete Slosberg, you know Pete's Wicked? We all were there to answer questions and help the newbies. Not once did someone say, RTFB before you ask a question. Not once did I hear someone say, we're not going to answer unless you search the archives, or Alta Vista (Google wasn't around then). And you know what? The group didn't fade away because it had been asked the 900th time whether it was better to bottle or keg. Rather, it faded because of the explosion of the Internet and free forums/lists/groups. (This particular forum was on Compuserve). My point is that a forum/list/group should be there to help people. I never heard once someone deride someone else to read the archives/etc, before coming and asking a question. Hell, half the time, someone would come in and ask if Dan (Listermann) had come out with a new version of his malt mill, which would erupt a flame war over whose was best. Oops, there we go again. In the end, we all laughed, exchanged ideas, and had fun. I guess it was our motto, Don't Worry Have a Homebrew! The world was a friendlier place back then. -- redhat-list mailing list unsubscribe mailto:redhat-list-request@xxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/redhat-list
