Re: On the desirability of repetitious posts [DANGER -- PHILOSOPHICAL]

[Alison Tartt <akt@xxxxxxx>]

One problem I've discovered in trying search the archives is that the
subject line of a post is often so vague ("Distiller and PDFs" or "Graphics
problem with FM 5.5" or "Fonts in Table Cells") that it can take a huge
chunk of time to sift through and find posts that may contain the answer to
my question. So I usually give up and post my question--and have the
solution in 10 or 15 minutes. The more specific and "targeted" we can make
the subject line, the better for all of us who try to use the archives.

Alison Tartt

At 08:16 AM 12/6/00 +1000, hedley_finger@myob.com.au wrote:
>At various times novices and others post queries to these lists along the
>lines of "How do I framitz the bojjum in the stiglend?" only to be met with
>outraged cries of "This issue was posted and resolved in the last few [ ]
>minutes  [ ] hours  [ ] days  [ ] weeks  [ ] months [ ] the archive,
>dumbbo."  {Pick one}
>
>Rather than being annoyed by repetitious requests, we should be tolerant
>and even grateful.  After all, we were all novices once and asked equally
>dumb questions of our tolerant elders so should at least be willing to pass
>on our hard-won wisdom.
>
>More importantly, if various Adobe contributors find these repetitious
>requests vexatious, they might just prompt them to ask:
>
>@  "Does the Index of the User Guide allow the reader to quickly find this
>issue?"
>@  "Is the explanation in the User Guide clear, accurate, and easy to
>follow? Are any prerequisites or dependencies adequately signposted?"
>@  "Is the user interface sufficiently well-designed to allow the task to
>be accomplished easily?"
>@  "Should a new function be added to FM to allow this task to be
>performed?"
>
>Time for a cup of tea and a good lie-down; all this philosophising is
>fatiguing.
>
>Regards,
>Hedley
>
>--
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>Hedley Finger
>Technical Communications/Technical communicator and FrameMaker mentor
>MYOB Australia <http://www.myob.com.au/>
>P.O. box 371   Blackburn VIC 3130   Australia
><mailto:hedley_finger@myob.com.au>
>Tel. +61 3 9894 0945
>Mob. +61 412 461 558
>
>
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