[plug] Newcomers' welcome (revised)

[Bret Busby]

On Sat, 5 Feb 2005, James Devenish wrote:

> 
> Hi everyone,
>
> Here is the second public draft of a newcomers' "welcome message".
> This would be sent automatically to each new subscriber when he
> or she joins the list. I welcome your revisions, and you should
> probably post them to the list so that others can gauge their
> feelings. When providing amendments to the message, please be
> sure to quote clearly (or "bottom-post") to make it practical for
> us to merge your suggestions.
>
> ________________________________________________________________
>
> Welcome to the discussion list of the Perth Linux Users' Group
> (Australia). If you are new to this community, we recommend you
> read the remainder of this e-mail which has been prepared for your
> benefit. Once you have read this message, you can immediately send
> your own queries by e-mail to
> 	plug at plug.linux.org.au
> For additional information about the list, including ways to
> find answers to questions that have already been asked, visit
> 	http://www.plug.linux.org.au/resources/mailing-list
>
> If you are new to Linux and are asking a question for the first
> time, you may wish to introduce yourself and indicate your level
> of (or lack of) familiarity with Linux-based computing. Your
> question will be read by anyone else who is currently reading the
> list, and it is likely that someone will respond with an answer.
> However, please keep in mind that it's "luck of the draw" who will
> read and respond to your message. It is also important for you to
> "help us to help you" and that you write for the benefit of being
> read.
>
> To improve our ability to help you, there are several guidelines
> for this list. These are all quite common compared with other
> lists, but could seem daunting if you have not subscribed before.
> We do not mind if you "break a few rules" when you are new, but
> please don't be offended if you are asked to try to comply. Also,
> please do not be offended if you don't receive a prompt reply to
> every question: some subscribers only read their e-mail during
> evenings or weekends and cannot read or respond to every message.
>
> The following guidelines can also be viewed and bookmarked at
> our website if you wish to delete this e-mail:
> 	http://www.plug.linux.org.au/resources/mailing-list#guidelines
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> PLUG MAILING LIST GUIDELINES
> Last revised February 2005.
>
> 1/ If you have a question, try to provide us with information
> (take a guess!) so that we know what sort of computer you have
> and what you have already attempted (if anything). Remember, we
> are "strangers" and we can't guess what will be compatible with
> your computer if you don't tell us what you already have. Also,
> we *do* need to know if you have already had specific trouble.
> In particular, let us know about any "errors message" you have
> received.
>
> 	For example: if you wanted to know "how to use your CD
> 	burner", you need to let us know a few salient details. You

Perhaps, it would be better, to reduce the jargon, and to make it more 
plain english.

Not everyone uses or is familiar with the term "CD burner". Some people 
only know of the device as a "CD writer" and might think that a "CD 
burner" is something that is likely to start a house fire.

Also, in terms of the plain english, use of words like "salient", is not 
user-friendly. A person not familiar with the word, who doesn't want to 
go to the trouble of finding a dictionary, might think it has something 
to do with salt, and expect to be required to submit a salty version of 
the person's problem.

> 	might say "someone installed Mandrake 10 on my computer and
> 	I have a Sony disc burner, model ABC-123. I think I'm using
> 	GNOME but I don't know what the CD software is called". We
> 	would not need know other details like your graphics rating
> 	or screen size.
>

The issue of the graphics rating has been mentioned, so, the issue of 
the "screen size" - do you mean the screen resolution, or the diagonal 
size of the screen (and whether it is one of those new-fangled, 
wide-screen things)? Issues like the screen resolution and refresh 
rates, may be quite pertinent.

> 2/ If you have had your computer at a PLUG workshop or have been
> referred via some other organisation (e.g. Computer Angels), it
> is probably worth mentioning it.
>
> 3/ If you are writing a new e-mail (and not replying to an old
> one), compose a fresh e-mail with a helpful "Subject". This is
> so that people can see the new topic and not confuse it with
> other messages. Do not use "Reply" if you are starting a new
> topic: this could cause your message to get "linked"
> automatically to unrelated messages.
>
> 4/ Always write for the benefit of being read. Try to be
> considerate by writing good sentences with correct spelling so
> that people can search your message for keywords. Remember that
> e-mail is sometimes tricky to understand and it is not the same
> as talking face-to-face.

If current subscribers can't be bothered with trying to spell correctly 
(and I don't mean that we should be overly pedantic - just reasonable 
spelling, and not text-message style rubbish), why expect it of new 
subscribers?

>
> 5/ If you are replying to someone's post, please take care. If
> you answer has lasting communal value, please send it to the list

Once again - plain english - this sounds like "Welcome to the commune - 
weed is available when you sign in, and, don't forgert to wear the 
flowers in your hair"

> (rather than directly to the other sender). This is what normally
> happens when you reply to this list: so be careful if you are
> typing something of a personal nature! Also, you should clearly
> indicate which part of a message you are replying to. Try to
> "quote" carefully by trimming out irrelevant paragraphs and
> writing your response directly below the context of the original
> message.
>
> 6/ If you make use of the advice received on this list, reply
> to it and tell us whether it worked or didn't work. This helps
> anyone else who has the problem in future.
>
> 7/ If you are providing an answer to someone else's question, try
> to indicate whether you "know" you are right, or whether you are
> just guessing. It is okay to guess, and we do not discourage
> tentative suggestions, but be sure they are labelled that way.
> Do not send a reply merely for its own sake.
>
> 8/ Many questions have been asked in the past, or might be beyond
> our local experience. The Internet has many resources available,
> and it is often wise to do some "pre-reading" by searching the
> PLUG archives or the world-wide-web in general.
>
> 9/ If you know how, please avoid sending HTML ("rich text")
> messages to the list (use plain text instead). Do not send
> graphical attachments or software! If you are having difficulty
> on the command-line, try to copy-and-paste the relevant details
> into your post. If you have "log files", you may wish to attach
> *short and relevant excerpts* to your e-mail. (If you try to
> copy-and-paste large amounts of text, the lines get broken up
> and we have to ask you to re-send.)
>
> 10/ The PLUG list is made up of people ranging from beginners to
> professional experts. Some are very new to the list while others
> have been here for years. This diversity can sometimes seem
> intimidating, but there are usually other people who come from
> the same perspective as yourself. Nevertheless, remember that
> most replies are "getting down to business" and may be brief
> in their opinions -- this should not be mistaken as a personal
> insult.
>
> 11/ As a service to ourselves and future Linux users, all the
> list's messages are archived publicly. A consequence of this is
> that our resources, including all the comments that you write
> yourself, can potentially be found and read by anyone else using
> the Internet.
>
> 12/ If you experience technical difficulties with the list (e.g.
> you can't see your own messages or can't receive other people's
> replies), you can check the web-based archives or e-mail the list
> administrators for technical validation of the list. Addresses
> for the list, the list administrators, the web archives, and the
> PLUG committee and shown at the bottom of each message you receive
> via the list.
> ________________________________________________________________
>
>

Too formal, too technical, and too much jargon.

People may subscribe to the list for help, who are not overly computer 
literate, or technically minded, and may find the message above, 
difficult to understand, and think "It's all too difficult and 
technical for me", just from reading the message above.

Try transslating the message, to plain englich, and, being less formal, 
so that it iis more user-friendly, and more welcoming.

Don't get me wrong. Having a welcome mesage, with (most of) the content 
above, is not just a good idea, it is pretty much necessary for a 
decently run mailing list.

But, remember the audience, and that not all of the public have your 
knowledge or understaanding of the technical terms and jargon.

--
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
  you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
   Chapter 28 of
   "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
   A Trilogy In Four Parts",
   written by Douglas Adams,
   published by Pan Books, 1992 
....................................................