On Tue, 21 Sep 2004, Josh Coates wrote: > > On Tue, 21 Sep 2004, Michael Halcrow wrote: > > > > On Tue, Sep 21, 2004, Andrew Jorgensen wrote: > > > > > > I absolutely agree, and call foul on Mike Halcrow. Lazy and > > > unhelpful too, if you don't have something helpful to say, Mike, > > > don't say anything at all. > > > > What I did was quite deliberate. Blair's question was lazy and > > unhelpful, so I gave an equally lazy and unhelpful answer. Actually, > > I would argue that pointing to a good Howto on the subject for a > > newbie to read is plenty helpful. > > lol. cheers to michael halcrow. ;-) > > his response maybe could have used some sugar coating, but i think his > answer was correct and appropriate. > i've posted this before, and i'll post it again: > http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html > > this is how things work people... ;-)
<rant> Ok, I've been silent on this issue for too long. Why do we even bother recruiting new members to the Linux community if this is the way we're going to treat them? Josh points out the ESR "smart questions" article. That's good and dandy. I agree with the points ESR makes and try to follow them when I ask questions. But isn't it a bit much to expect someone who probably just installed for the first time at the last installfest to implicitly know how to ask "good questions"? He's probably never even heard of ESR. Mike, although you have a point in your answer, it lacks tact. If we want to retain new linux users, tact is what's necessary. You could just as easily have said something along the lines of Michael Torrie's reply, and then added the helpful link to the HOWTO. I'm sure Blair appreciates the knowledge that his question was poorly formulated and there was an existing article which could help him through the common problems. A short post linking to the HOWTO is not bad; it is the manner in which *we* convey that knowledge which will determine whether his experience is positive or negative. When I see answers of this sort come across the list it makes me think of being a missionary. Imagine this hypothetical parallel universe: <analogy> Blair is a recent convert to the Church. He was baptized just last Saturday. He knows a little bit about the Church but has a lot to learn. Having been told by the missionaries that the members can help answer any questions he has he goes to a ward activity and asks a few people there. Mike, a respected member of the ward and known for his deep doctrinal knowledge turns to him and says "Go read Mormon Doctrine" then turns back to his other conversation. His friend Josh laughs and pats him on the back, "Good one, Mike". What's wrong with this picture? Mormon Doctrine may indeed give a better and more detailed answer, especially if it isn't really clear what Blair's problem is. It would likely be very instructive and enlightening if he read the passage from Mormon Doctrine. But Blair might have felt a bit more welcome if Mike had explained why he couldn't answer Blair's vague question, and how Mormon Doctrine could help. There's one word for Mike and Josh's behavior: rude. The answers are correct but poorly delivered. </analogy> If I were Blair and received this response my likely action would be to give up on this confounded linux that I can't get working, reinstall Windows, then any time a friend of mine mentions linux I would discourage them from using it. "They may claim one of the great things about linux is the support community, but don't believe them." </rant> Rant over. Being a rant, ignore if offended. I don't want this to devolve into a flame war and as such will not post any more to this thread. Jacob Fugal ____________________ BYU Unix Users Group http://uug.byu.edu/ ___________________________________________________________________ List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list
