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Date:      Mon, 13 Apr 1998 16:38:46 +0000
From:      Niall Smart <rotel@indigo.ie>
To:        Sean Harding <sharding@oregon.uoregon.edu>, Niall Smart <rotel@indigo.ie>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   RE: Lost root shell
Message-ID:  <199804131538.QAA02185@indigo.ie>
In-Reply-To: Sean Harding <sharding@ophelia.uoregon.edu> "RE: Lost root shell" (Apr 13,  8:10am)

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On Apr 13,  8:10am, Sean Harding wrote:
} Subject: RE: Lost root shell
> On Mon, 13 Apr 1998, Niall Smart wrote:
> 
> > > Please reply directly to me.
> > 
> > I hate that kind of sh**.
> 
> Wait a minute. Questions is the official support list. the CD says
> "questions#freebsd.org" on it. The web pages have this address. You can
> not honestly expect people to join this list prioir to asking questions.
> It's different with newsgroups and it's different with other lists. This
> is one place that you need to be aware that *most* of the questions come
> from people who aren't on the list.

-questions is official in so much that is is hosted on hardware
owned by people/companies who are involved with FreeBSD.  The people
who read and reply to the questions asked are mostly FreeBSD users
who have volunteered to help people out with sensible questions.

I find it incredibly annoying when people seemingly expect others
to dutifully provide a 12 page answer within the next 15 minutes
and drop it right on their doorstep.  I expect those who post
questions to the list to show the same willingness to participate
as I do, i.e. by subscribing and discussing the problem on the
list.

I also reject out of hand that you cannot expect people to join
the list, the fact that the original poster requested a personal
reply indicates that he is perfectly aware how such lists usually
operate.  Many, if not most of the discussions are relevant to
all readers, hence they should be kept on the list.  -questions
is not an initial contact point of a one-to-one support line.

I don't care how important the problem is for you, whether root's
shell is missing, the hard disk is on fire, or the president can't
send email -- if you expect me to read the list to answer questions,
I expect you to read the list for replies -- no exceptions.


Niall Smart

-- 
Niall Smart.  Microsoft Suck.  See www.freebsd.org for details.
echo "#define if(x) if(!(x))" >> /usr/include/stdio.h

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