I was initially going to do this as a follow up to a message I had read,
but I thought I would start from scratch. I looked at a message where the
sender was replying to a YASQ (Yet Another Stupid Question). In this
message, this person pretty much says that the person who posted the
question should ahve did a better job of researching before asking the
question to the group. Further the sender goes on to talk about the time
and effort that s/he spent in learning Linux, and why should they deign to
waste there acquired knowledge on people who won't put the same amount of
time into linux as they did.
This is very disappointing! I have been playing with linux since 0.13
(that is not 0.99pl13, but actually 0.13). I have been doing UNIX for
about 10 years or so now. And everyday, thanks to the mailing lists, news
groups and websites, I find out something new about Linux. Not because I
am overly smart about it, but because there are people out there who are
willing to share the knowledge.
It galls me to see people become so arrogant, that they don't have the
time to answer YASQ. Of course the only stupid question is the one that
goes unasked. I have made it a standard policy to give a basic answer and
then guide the questioner to the appropriate man page, ect. This the way
to create more clued in user, not tell them in effect, "You are a lame,
that was a lame question and you need to go RTFM, if you want to know the
answer!".
There are some folks out there who have been using Linux and UNIX for a
very long time. On the other hand, a lot of out new converts come from PC
environment with a MS (as in Monolithic Software) Windows interface or the
like. So these questions that seem absurdly simple to us of the former
group, are honest to goodness difficulties for others. Explain to a
Windows 9x/3.1 user about password security and file permissions, and you
will get a blank stare everytime.
I guess this rant is about trying to show a little more compassion and
goodwill as questions come up. About trying to remember the fact that we
all started out that way once upon a time. And to finally remember that
not everyone comes from an environemnt (like UNIX) and thus has to acquire
a whole new skillset.
Party on dudes and dudettes, and be excellent to one another!
--stolen from Bill & Ted
---
Kim C. Callis -- [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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* When it absolutely, *
* Positively has to be *
* Destroyed over night! *
* *
* (800) MARINES *
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