Noise! (was Re: [plug] Linux Journal)

[John Summerfield]

On Thu, 6 Aug 1998, Christian wrote:

> On Thu, 6 Aug 1998, John Summerfield wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, 5 Aug 1998, The Thought Assassin wrote:
> > 
> > > I assume you wanted this to go the list, rather than me Gavin, so I'll
> > > take the liberty of forwarding it there.
> > > 
> > He probably didn't want it to go twice though.
> 
> And he probably didn't want you replying either.  Honestly, the ratio of
> noise to people subscribed on this list is unbelievable.  I don't
> want to start a flame war but perhaps people could just minimise their
> actual list postings to a bear minimum?


Consider the possibility you may have misinterpreted the tone of my reply:
I had a smile in my mind even if I didn't translate it to the text.


This list is special in that many of us know at least some of the other
participants. I'm inclined to think I'm writing to friends who won't take
offence.


> For instance, messages thanking people for their help need not be directed
> to the list.  Posting of URLs to interesting (but not vital) stories
> someone has read on Slashdot are not really necessary either - that's why
> it's a website and not a mailing list, we can visit if and when we want. 

Not everyone knows what slashdot is and certainly not everyone visits it
daily. If there's something someone thinkfs of special interst to us, I'd
like to hear about it (and not just an URI either).


 > For those who don't know what I'm talking about check out
> http://slashdot.org for daily, up to date news and comment on technical
> and Unix/Linux related issues. 

Most of my internetting is hands-free. Visiting websites daily isn't
especially convenient to me.

> 
> Also, perhaps people asking very basic queries can consider using IRC as
> an alternative first option?  Not only is it better in terms of getting an
> immediate response (particularly when there are further questions that
> need to be asked to properly troubleshoot the problem) but it also
> eliminates you having to come back to the list and posting "Ok, I've tried
> that and it didn't work, what now?".  IRC networks like the linpeople one
> (irc.linux.org.au and channel #linuxaus) and OzOrg (mpx.sydney.oz.org and
> #linux) both regularly have active people on them willing to help with a
> wide range of queries.  If you don't get help on IRC then by all means
> post to this list, but even if there isn't anyone active on those channels
> who can help you, waiting an hour and coming back later will still
> probably give you a faster overall response to your problems than posting
> to this list.



I rather think IRC is not one of the first things newbies find out about. 
I also think usenet a better place to ask questions - the audience must be
much greater. 

In three years or so internetting, I've dabbled in IRC once.


> 
> Anyway, no one should take this personally but the list will be a more
> concise and useful resource if people just use a bit of common sense
> before posting.  Ask yourselves, "Does everyone else really want or need
> to hear this?" and "Is there a faster/easier/better way of getting this
> information?" (eg, web search/IRC/man pages/howto) before you hit send.

Nobody forces you to read everything on the list: I choose to read
practically everything, but there certainly are topics on each of the
several mailing lists I'm on that I skip.


Some of the questions might seem to the more experienced people to be
trivial, simple or misplaced, but then we were all beginners once.

My tase in humour might not be to your liking, but if we're all serious
and seriously on-topic (whatever that might be for this list) all the time
then it will be about as interesting as a textboot.


like my sig!!