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Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 00:09:29 -0600 (CST)
From: "Lee Crites (AEI)" <leec@adam.adonai.net>
To: Andrew Perry <andrew@python.shoal.net.au>
cc: Wes Peters - Softweyr LLC <softweyr@xmission.com>,
        FreeBSD questions <questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject: Re: Mailing lists archives
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On Fri, 28 Mar 1997, Andrew Perry wrote:
=>> GENERAL FREEBSD_QUESTIONS USAGE NOTE:
=>> You should search for this message in the mail archives before sending
=>> it to 50,000 people or so via email; this subject has been discussed ad
=>> nauseum.
=>
=>I couldn't agree with you more, however, having asked this particular
=>question myself, and other equally overasked questions, I think we should
=>address what I see as the problem.

I'd also like to toss in my two cents worth.  I *have* checked the
archives before asking questions -- things I figured would have been FAQ
types of topics, without success.  I don't know if there is a problem
with the search engine or the numbers of messages or what.

And, I've tried downloading all of the archives from questions and
hackers and security and building my own mini database I could grep on.
That has actually garnered me more success than trying to search the
archives.  Of course, it is costing me about 150meg...

I'm nost sure what can be done.  I bought the DOCS cd, but it's
interface was so poor I ended up using grep to search it as well.

So there *are* those of us who *do* search the archives, and STILL have
to ask the question.

When I complained of this before, I got lots of sympathy from other such
sufferers and people asking me if I had a better way.  And I guess I
don't.  I like the web interface, I just wish I could find things I
wanted.  Perhaps if it sorted the items by subject instead of just
points.  Who knows.

I just wanted to say that there are some of us who like researching and
finding our own answers, but can't seem to get it done sometimes.

Lee