----- Original Message ----- From: "Carroll Grigsby" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, May 17, 2002 11:57 PM Subject: Re: [expert] newbie vs expert (was Tasks startup time with ps)
> On Friday 17 May 2002 06:29 pm, you wrote: > > Randy Kramer wrote: > > > BTW: No offense intended, but this strikes me as close to a newbie level > > > question (unless the details that you haven't provided so far indicate > > > otherwise). What made you post it on "expert"? Again, no offense, and > > > I don't consider myself an expert, but I usually try to post my > > > questions to what I think is the more appropriate list, and if that was > > > newbie, "escalate" it to expert only if I don't get a satisfactory > > > response on newbie. Seems to me that was the intent of having a newbie > > > and an expert list, and probably helps to avoid traffic for experts that > > > don't want to be bothered with newbie level questions. (There are very > > > expert people who lurk on the newbie list and answer questions.) If I > > > misunderstand the reason for the two lists, maybe one of the list > > > veterans can provide a different insight? > > > > Randy, > > > > Your comments are most germane, and tastefully inserted as an addendum > > in your reply. Unfortunately, the distinction you delineated between > > newbie and expert list has, over the few years I have been here, pretty > > much been loss. There are a number of reasons for this to occur. One > > reason would simply be the subjective nature of differentiating between > > a "newbie" problem and what constitutes an "expert" problem. I have said > > it here before, and I'll say it again: I would humbly estimate that > > about 60 to 70 percent of the postings on this list are within the > > "newbie" range. > > > > If you or others have a subscription to other UNIX type lists, you will > > readily see how this situation is handled. There are usually a few "list > > nazis" who do not hesitate to make the newbie feel very uncomfortable > > about posting a problem that would have been easily solved by a RTFM or > > STFW. > > > > Because the Mandrake expert list is for Mandrake Linux solutions, I > > believe it will always be as it is: a "kinder, gentler" sort of list. > > And, as such, you might as well acclimate yourself to the reality that > > this list is really just an extension to the newbie list... > > > > I hope I have engendered some thoughts on this issues, and hopefully we > > might see some thoughtful responses... > > > > Dr John, > > The Night Tripper > > My analysis: Let's assume that I am an absolute newbie, that I've heard these > lists are a very useful resource, so I decide to subscribe. I go to the > Mandrake Linux subscription page (www.linux-mandrake.com/en/flists.php3) > where I learn that the distinction between the two lists is the experience of > the subscribers, not the nature of the post. Given the choice between people > just as dumb as I am and those who really know their stuff, guess which one > I'm apt to choose? Right: It's the expert list for me, especially if I'm a > Type A kind of guy. (Yeah, I know now that there are lots of genuine wizards > on the newbie list, but that's something I learned after I had subscribed and > had a chance to see how good some of these people are.) > > An obvious alternative, of course, would be to segregate the lists on the > basis of subject, e.g. Installation, Networking, Security, Hardware, > Configuration, etc. Red Hat and the Mandrake Forum do this, and I think Suse > also does it. I, for one, do not like it. Yes, it might make it easier to > organize my inbox, but it would be at the expense of following multiple > threads on the same topic (my configuration question is your hardware > question), cross-posting (I need an answer NOW, dammit, so I'll ask everyone) > and searching multiple archives for stuff I forgot to save. (Yeah, I know, > Google is my friend. Sometimes, though, it's easier to just browse through a > list.) > > My choice: Leave things just like they are. (Ain't broke ==> don't fix it). > You've got to stretch to find anything resembling list-Nazism here, flames > are few and far between, RTFM's and STFW's almost non-existent -- we're a > pretty tolerant community. Yeah, we tend to wander off of topic sometimes > (more so on the newbie list), there's the odd HTML posting, inappropriate > attachments happen, sometimes we forget that not everyone has unlimited flat > rate web access, and maybe some of the postings are to the wrong list, but > this is about as good as it gets, and that's damn good. > Well said Carroll. I couldn't agree more. daRcmaTTeR
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