Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 00:01:42 +0200 From: neal.tillery@cp.Novartis.com To: freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Questions [was: What do newbies want?] Message-ID: <199804162208.AAA14864@mta3.is.chbs>
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> ---------- > From: Sue Blake[SMTP:sue@welearn.com.au] > Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 1998 7:17 PM > To: Stumpie > Cc: freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG > Subject: Questions [was: What do newbies want?] > > On Wed, Apr 15, 1998 at 04:07:16PM -0700, Stumpie wrote: > > > I subscribed to <freebsd-questions> from a suggestion in the book, > and then came over > > here to <-newbies> when it started up. Now, from just reading the > mail, I have two > > impressions. > > > > First, the <-questions> folks don't particularly wish to hear > questions from rank > > beginners like me for the umteenth time. > > This is something we really need to talk about. Would you mind > following it > through here a bit? I'm sure some other newbies will chime in :-) > > What is it, exactly, that gives you that impression? We're going to > need to > pinpoint it and describe it as well as possible, but from a NEWBIES > perspective (without outside influence or argument), before anyone can > start > to find some really valid solutions. This may take some time. > > Are you saying that they don't want to hear beginners' questions? If > so, why > do you think that is? > > Are you saying that they want to hear them, but only the first time? > If so, > what do you think is their reasoning, and is it valid or not? > > Do you think their preference is a good thing, or a bad thing? Why? > > <End Quote> > > > I can understand someone's frustration at just answering one question > in depth, only to have someone else ask it a week later. When I ask a > question I want to make it clear that I have exhausted all other means > of fixing the problem and freebsd-questions is my last resort. For > example, I have a problem with PPP on my home computer. This is not > the run of mill PPP problem. I've tried to search the Mailing List > archives and Newsgroups, but because the problem is so specific and to > amount of posts on PPP in the archive, its frustrating to find what I > need, if it even exists to start with. > > I think a better explanation of the search system on the FreeBSD site > and how to utilize it to gain more precise information would be a good > place to start. The Help section doesn't cut it; basic AND and OR > operators are not enough. Something more powerful is needed. This > would benefit both the newbies and question mailing lists. Newbies > can get the answers to there question easier. Those questions that > newbies ask are more then likely something new or something not easy > to fix for a new user with the given material they have. If there is > something like this, it needs to be announced more often. If not, > then I'd be willing to write up "A New Users Guide to Mailing List > Searches". > > Neal > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
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