> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 1999 2:47 PM
> To: Alex Miller
> Cc: Qmail@List. Cr. Yp. To
> Subject: Re: New qmail list et al
>
>
> "Alex Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
> > But, currently, it IS permissible on this list to post messages that
> > say things like "your an idiot" or "this is off topic", "this has
> > nothing to do with qmail".
>
> Here's just $.02, since I think I was the latest one to say "You're an
> idiot" on this list.
>
> If you consult the qmail archives, you will find occasional posts by
> me going back about two years. Some of those questions were so
> breathtakingly idiotic that nobody bothered to reply at all. Yes, if
> someone had pointed out that I was an idiot I would have felt rather
> hurt. Hopefully, I am a less idiotic qmail user today. In general,
> idiocy is not necessarily a terminal, nor a permanent, condition.
>
> Sadly, there is such a thing as idiocy. Posting a question, ignoring
> several answers, and then complaining that nobody is helping, is just
> plain idiotic. If the fellow in question objects to being
> characterized as an idiot, he has at least two choices. One is to
> shove off; another is to behave less idiotically.
In any test the subjects fall into 4 groups.
Those who correctly test positive
Those who mistakenly test positive
Those who correctly test negative
Those who mistakenly test negative
My concern is that I want to see the dialogue that transpires between
those who are mistakenly called idiots or off-topic posters and
those who might have clues to the problems that need solving installing,
using, and understanding qmail.
My serious objection in the case you mentioned was not the fact that
the word "idiot" was used even if for supposed cause but that it was
used to squelch any further discussion in a subject of great interest
to me, the behavior of qmail in a firewall environment and what can
happen to someone who is offering qmail services to the public and
is the target of nefarious folk.
I could care less about idiocy. I wish every idiot who had a problem
posed a question. I can answer some of them, and perhaps I can learn
something from the answers.
So, the idiots can post to my list if they want. Then this list will
be sans idiots with questions and my list will be full of idiots with
questions.
But on my list there will be no rule enforcement allowed.
> Other choices include a series of posts indicating that Qmail (or its
> documentation) sucks, or interjecting remarks like "I'll simply
> privately curse djb (et all) and wait...", or complaining that people
> trying to help are just "[spouting] a bunch of baseless crap"
> etc.. Oh, that's right! The idiot in question also did all of those
> things.
>
> Len.
>
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