Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 20:10:43 -0700 From: rootman <rootman@xmission.com> To: ML Duke <mlduke@concentric.net>, Brian Astill <bastill@sa.apana.org.au> Cc: Sue Blake <sue@welearn.com.au>, Yong Lim <yong@csfi.com>, Rick Hamell <hamellr@heorot.1nova.com>, "SILVER, MICHAEL A" <MSILVER@scana.com>, freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Function of -newbies Message-ID: <01020920404502.00330@blackmirror.xmission.com> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.4.10.10102091722130.562-100000@mlduke.concentric.net> References: <Pine.BSF.4.10.10102091722130.562-100000@mlduke.concentric.net>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Fri, 09 Feb 2001, ML Duke wrote: > Ah. The ever re-occuring topic. > Garbage, I say. It's not garbage, it's a topic about a re-occuring problem that needs to be fixed. > > Personally, if a newbie asks a question and I know the > answer -- I answer it, as in the recent: > mount /cdrom Yes but this isn't what the list was ever created or intended for. > > My Unix _Mentor_, a real pro, gave me the above. > Now we are supposed to RTFM, I agree, and while man > pages are not _quite_ the greek they used to be, > mount /cdrom is still invisible as far as I am > concerned. Told my Mentor so, and in a round a bout > way, he agreed. But you ask that on questions, and > watch for the flame. I've asked questions like this on -questions and never got flamed. In fact, most of the time, it was just the opposite. I got very helpful responses and even additional/related information and tips. Maybe I was just lucky? Maybe it was because I posted my question in a polite manner and indicated that I had already tried searching for related info on the topic before posting to -questions? > > So where's the harm? > Newbies don't jump each other (with a rare exception). The harm is that when people new to the newbies list post technical questions and they get answered, it just creates a viscious cycle and confusion. First, they think since their question got answered, it's all right to ask more..."Hey, tell a friend." Then later, confusion and frustration set in when they're reminded to ask questions in -questions. > > Sometimes I ask them (questions) and have found > the answers useful. Such as, I've got FBSD on the > SCSI, and wincrashcrud on the IDE. Anyone remember > how to mount the wd0 partitions? The useful answers are the one's that tell them where to find the answers on their own or where to ask technical questions when they get stumped. Please don't misinterpret the tone of my response. I understand the point you were trying to make but I feel that the real problem with this list is it's name. I truly believe that if the name was something other than FreeBSD-Newbies, those new to the list or FreeBSD wouldn't make false assumptions as to the purpose of this list in the first place. This would also serve to give Rick, Sue and others, a much needed break from continually having to remind people to "ask questions in -questions". Regards Joe To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?01020920404502.00330>