On Thu, Apr 12, 2001 at 05:47:07PM -0500, will trillich wrote: > > Expect two to four months of "aaugh! Ever since the lobotomy i > can't figure anything out" before you can start helping others > here. (Your spouse will hate it nearly as much as you do.) Once > you get past the "i feel lobotomized" stage, you can answer > others' questions, and then you'll start getting misguided > comments like > > ...what a great explanation... > ...you're a powerful wizard... > ...wow, i never knew that... > > from people who don't know any better. :) > Actually, I've been lucky enough to get this myself a few times, having lurked about the lists for a year or two, and having written some articles posted here and there. =] You're right, it's neat.
> > 4) Don't make any requests unless you can help to carry them out yourself. > > (By that logic, I can't report bugs in Apache, since I can't fix them, > > and I shouldn't request documentation unless I have the time to write > > it). > > Needs some fine-tuning... how about: "DON'T make any DEMANDS, > EXPECTING to be entitled to someone else's time or attention; and > unless you're WILLING TO RECIPROCATE, don't even expect others to > volunteer theirs to help you." > > After all, why should they? > In spirit I agree with you, and I wish everyone were willing to contribute something back (and I've even written editorials to this effect). I didn't detect anything really demanding in his email, but I might have missed part of the thread, so I can't comment on that. Sometimes it takes an initial gesture in order to show people what community is all about. That's sort of how it worked for me. So many people were willing to help me and yet wanted nothing in return - well, it made me want to give something back all the more. Yes, I do get irked my those who demand I help them but don't seem even remotely interested in becoming a real part of the community. Of course, we will have more and more people coming from the other paradigm, where there's absolutely no sense of community. Sometimes it may take an act of kindness on our part to get the ball rolling. Like I said, maybe I missed part of the thread, because apparently Karsten tried to do this. For this, he should be commended. > > 5) It's ok to make disparaging remarks about people if they're clueless > > Windows users (who come from a totally different paradigm than Linux > > users), but it's not ok to make disparaging remarks at those who get > > after these "clueless users". > > Correction: it's only okay to make disparaging remarks about > windo~1 and the effects it has on people. :) > Fine by me. =] > > 6) Appearing to be a bit of an elitist and bashing clueless Windows users > > are good ways to gain popularity in the community. > > Actually, they're only good ways to entertain other elitists. The > way to gain points in this community is by helping the moronic, > halitosis-ridden, clueless dredges of the windo~1 community > become productive members of society. > I'm all for doing that, too. > > We were all newbies ourselves once. Personally I've been using Linux for > > a couple years, and I've done a hell of a lot of research on my own to > > get things working properly. I didn't have anyone to help me. I also came > > from a Windows background, and I recognize the vast differences in the > > Windows and Linux communities. Because I remember what it was like to be a > > newbie, I want to help others who still don't quite know what Linux is all > > Please do! http://newbieDoc.sourceForge.net/ I've taken a peek at this and it looks really cool, and I'd like to get involved and perhaps discuss this with you further via email. Of course, I won't be able to do that if I'm in your killfile. ;) I used to be in charge of the FirstStep section for Linux.com, where my (volunteer) job was to write and find documentation that new users could understand. So, I think I could make some decent contributions to your project. In fact, maybe I could convert some of my articles to DocBook and add them to the project. I'd love to discuss this with you further. It sounds like we're actualy more or less on the same page. From what you've said, I was mistaken in singling out Mr. Self as an example of the elitism that I've grown to despise, and I hope he'll accept my humble and sincere apologies. Perhaps I've gotten the wrong impression of him, or missed out on something vital in the earlier thread. Unfortunately circumstances today have me fired up (not a good excusse, but yet I offer it anyway). I'm normally a rather meek guy that lurks about on the list, and answers a question or two here and there. Perhaps I should go back to doing that. =] /me slinks back to his grimy corner of the web... Tom
