On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:02:23 +0300, Dotan Cohen posted: >>> Thank you, Ken, I am aware of that list and subscribe to it. That list >>> is great for Microsoft bashing, discussing animal-themed backgrounds >>> twice a year, and bikesheding. Technical issues are understood by a >>> overwhelmed and outvoiced minority there. Which is quite why I posted >>> my question here. >>> >> Humm, would you care to repeat this over on those lists? Res would agree >> with you. >> >> > Yes, I have mentioned that on the [k]ubuntu lists. Those lists have their > place, and I have learned a lot from them, but I subscribe there more to > help than to be helped. Which is sad because my knowledge level is not > very high, and I have to be careful not to give bad advice. I usually > answer the non-technical questions only. Which is quite why I mentioned > the bikesheding on those lists. I'm a part of it, I admit. > >> You need to identify what distro you are using because there are >> differences among them (this includes branches of Debian) which can make >> a difference in what specific advice is given. It's not up to the poster >> asking for help to decide if the issue is generic or not, posters asking >> for help often misjudge things, the poster should give clear, correct, >> and, as far as possible, complete data about the environment and the >> problem. This is nothing about elitism, that is another issue. >> >> > While your point is valid, ...
If it is valid, it is valid, there is no yes but... > ...if there is a difference then I would > actually like to learn the Debian way and then fit that to any specific > problem with Ubuntu. My point was, that without knowing which OS you are using, the advice given may not work as expected. There is no guarantee that the person asking for help will be able to adapt the advice, that's why they were here asking for help in the first place, that, and the fact, in many cases, that they can't figure out how to adapt when they google for advice on an issue. You should state which OS and version you are using when asking for help. Out of respect for those trying to help. > There is also the point about Ubuntu users being > perceived as below-average competence that I would like to avoid. Well, Dotan, I haven't seen much of the perception you mention, I have seen people asking simple questions for which there are simple answers available looking like newbies but rarely, these days, do people react in a mean fashion toward them. > I have > good reasons for using Ubuntu (For one, it installs with no problems on > my laptop. For another, I install it for friends for whom Debian is not > appropriate.) but Debian is my "home". All the more reason to state you're using Ubuntu, you're in the class that needs more help configuring a system, make it easier on the people trying to help you, let them know what the environment is so they don't waste time typing answers that won't help you. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
