Sounds like you're proposing some kind of Mandrake knowledge base. This would be a good idea, since many questions are just repeats of previous questions. For the moment, we have both the newbie and expert mail archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/newbie@linux-mandrake.com/ http://www.mail-archive.com/expert@linux-mandrake.com/ On Tue, 10 Jul 2001 11:45, Franki wrote: > Hi all, > > Mandrake should make one main page, and on it,, put all the Very commonly > asked questions on it...(or links) > > That way, we could all just quote the same page address when someone asks a > question that has been asked a million times before... > > it should have the most current hardware issues, (like the 686 southbridge > questions we keep seeing.) > > and stuff like, realplayer issues... the Nvidia drivers stuff like that,, > > and put a search facility on it,, > > I know most of that stuff is already available all over the place, but it > would be much easier for newbies if they only had one page to go > to....(even if it links to hundreds of pages...) and it should be exclusive > to mandrake, since the diversity of howtoo's doesn't favour one distro... > > Thats what I would do to help newbies if I worked for mandrake... > > (it could also be the default page or link that comes up in all the > browsers available in the mdk installs...) > > yet another of my 10 cents worth... > > done it so much lately that I'm now broke.. :-) > > > regards > > Frank > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of David Rankin > Sent: Tuesday, 10 July 2001 8:51 AM > To: mandrake > Subject: Re: [expert] Lack of standards > > Tom Brinkman wrote: > > > > Until these > > > > inconsistencies are resolved, Linux will remain for hackers who > > > > time and knowledge to fix things so that they will run, and the > > > > common user will never get to reap the benefits os this otherwise > > > > wonderful operating system. > > > > On Monday 09 July 2001 10:02 am, M. Osten wrote: > > > Do you really want persons that can not edit a text file running > > > linux at all? I'm not prepared to try to support people that can > > > barely hold a mouse. The whole Linux replacing Windows on the > > > desktop is stupid...who cares. I use Linux because it works, I like > > > using it. > > > > Amen. (see below) > > > > > On a entirely diffrent flame fest. If this is the Mandrake expert > > > mailing list, I hate to see what the newbie list is like. > > > > I recently re-subscribed after takin several months off. Nothin's > > changed, it's still dominated by those who want hand holding, obviously > > haven't made the slightest effort to research their problem, and many > > don't even think that learning to use Linux is, or even should be their > > responsibility. The majority also want to place blame and criticise the > > OS. They've never been willing to approach problems as user - hardware > > - and lastly the OS, any OS. A few are insistent and abusive also. > > Most have no idea of the difference between open and closed source > > soft/hardware, or want to be bothered. They blame Mandrake for their > > winmodem, aureal sound, or GeForce not being supported right out of the > > box. If I read "but it works great with Windows" one more time ......... > > > > Guess I need another break from the newbie list ;) > > I think I saw it explained most eloquently in a not to distant post. It was > either here or on the samba list. It addressed the dramatic increase in the > number and complexity (or lack thereof) in the variety of questions being > posted. Largely the same issues addressed above. The rationalization of the > dramatic increase was that: > > "We are the victims of our own success...." > > With the installed user base of Linux experiencing a dramatic increase, the > mailing lists become both the guiding light and the scapegoat for many > users wanting "in on the game." A large source of the frustration may stem > from users that want to have their cake and eat it too. Meaning, that a new > user may expect to have a rock solid Linux system install (which many do), > and then also want to immediately upgrade to all the latest buttons, bells, > whistles, kernels and the like at the same time without ever getting to > know the basic install. The cure: > > "KNOW YOUR SYSTEM FIRST, then incrementally incorporate the latest > changes as required" > > Linux is a very flexible and elegant OS and quite easy (although sometimes > painful) to learn. Don't try to swallow the penguin all at once! > > The "cup is half-full" side to the "Lack of Standards" argument is the > "Rapid Progress" being made and "Healthy Competition Coupled with > Enginuity" within Linux development community. To call this a "Lack of > Standards" is at best a misunderstanding of the open source concept and a > worst a calculated "issue" spin doctored by our dear friends at M$. > > Gotta Go, my 2 yr. old needs some daddy time... > > -- > David C. Rankin, J.D., P.E. > ASEL -- Instrument > Nacogdoches, Texas > N31 34.7 W094 42.6 > 355 MSL -- Sridhar Dhanapalan. "There are two major products that come from Berkeley: LSD and UNIX. We don't believe this to be a coincidence." -- Jeremy S. Anderson