RE: Recurrent topics on the list

[Christopher Gultch <cgultch@xxxxxxxxx>]

I am probably digging my grave as a subcribrer but here goes 
I have been a lurker for some time and have posted one or two topics in the
past that have been answered to great benefit to me BUT.

Reading this thread of this topic has disgusted me to no end I feel the need
to speak-up 
I AM TIRED OF YOUR SNOBBY ELITIST ATTITUDE. 
Flaming who should and should not post and what should and should not be
posted. 

Is this not a list open to all who seek frame knowledge? 

Is this list not to help in a round-about way to help grow the framers
community? 

Ripping on people who ask questions (come-on, professionals)
You know as well as I do, frame has a very steep learning curve. And the
support from the manual and after market publications is almost nonexistent.

The keeper of knowledge (is that you) seem to have the attitude from this
thread DO BOTHER ME WITH THOSE PETTY QUESTIONS. 	
Most of you know that there are ways to filter off subject that may annoy
you by using your mail program. Why not use it if you are so annoyed at
having to filter it by skimming through you mail Of how about subscribing to
a digested version. Is it maybe you ego keeps you out there so you can be
somebody's hero today. 
If it is such a thorn in you side unsubscribe. 


If someone posting repetitive questions annoys you so much why don't the
frame gods take the repetitive questions and put together a book.  


Christopher Gultch 


-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Hurrell [mailto:gh@wincent.org]
Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2000 9:55 PM
To: Free Framers
Subject: Re: Recurrent topics on the list


Marcus Carr made some points about Dan Emory's email:

>> 1. On a well-manged list, new subscribers should be required...

>> 2. Those who ignore the start-up package and repeatedly request help on
>> issues that are fully addressed in the FAQ should be warned by the list
>> manager.

>> 3. When a new recurring topic emerges that is not covered by the FAQ, a
new
>> item should be added to the FAQ and sent to all subscribers, instructing
>> them to add the new item to the FAQ they received when they first
subscribed
>> to the list.

>> 4. The willingness to build one's own archive is part of being a
responsible
>> list member...

Like Marcus Carr, I think all of this sounds a bit heavy-handed. I think a
much better solution is to send people a so called "start-up package" upon
subscribing that includes the FAQ but which omits all the draconian language
of "requirements", "instructions", "warnings", and "responsibility".

Any decent FrameMaker FAQ would include answers to questions not only about
FrameMaker, but about the mailing lists, the archives, list etiquette, and
how/when to post questions. I'm sure that these points about list etiquette,
if phrased as question-answer pairs instead of authoritarian dictums would
be much better received by new subscribers. It makes the list sound like a
friendlier place (and as far as I can tell, 95% of the people on the list
ARE pretty damn friendly).

Rather than "instructing people to create a mailbox called 'FAQ'", why not
just include in the preamble of the FAQ a line like, "You should keep this
FAQ in a safe place"?

Rather than instructing subscribers to manually add new items to the FAQ,
why not just have the list admin send the FAQ out to the list at a regular
interval (even once a week would not be too often), clearly labelled "FAQ:
Framers List", and if updated with new entries then clearly marked as such
(eg. "FAQ: Framers List: UPDATED 4 March 2000"). Veterans could ignore it if
they chose, even delete it; newbies might want to open it up and see the
list of new or updated entries that should appear near the top.

Rather than lecturing new comers about their obligations and
responsibilities to construct their own archives, why not just have a
question in the FAQ that tells them it's a good idea and suggests a way to
do it?

Anyway, I won't ramble on further. You get the idea. My basic argument is
that there seems to be a good way to address the problem of repetitious
traffic on the list without getting people's dander up or being tyrannical.
Administering a FAQ like I propose would be a piece of cake. Once written, I
could set up Outlook Express to even handle the automatic weekly posting of
the FAQ. (By the way, I am happy to be responsible for it, if you want.)






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