[plug] Newcomers' welcome (revised)

[James Devenish]

In message <Pine.LNX.4.61.0502060824580.10823 at bret.busby.net>
on Sun, Feb 06, 2005 at 08:41:46AM +0800, Bret Busby wrote:
> >	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.

I have changed "CD burner" to "CD writer" as per your suggestion.

> Also, in terms of the plain english, use of words like "salient", is not 
> user-friendly.
[...]
> >If your 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"

I assume both of the above comments were written for our satirical
amusement.

> >	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

Doesn't matter. I was giving an example of what we *didn't* need to
know, without introducing jargon like "resolution" and "refresh rate".

> 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?

The guidelines are for all subscribers. Additionally, they are appended
to the newcomers' welcome for reasons I have already stated.