From: Robert Tweed <robert_at_killingmoon.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 05:00:27 +0100

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Hak" <rhak_at_ramapo.edu>
>
> Routinely we face things that are answered in the FAQ (of which I am the
> maintainter, ...

OK, there are a couple of different issues here. One is complete newbie
questions/suggestions that have been addressed before. Those simply need a
quick pointer to the FAQ and ignored from then on. If people keep asking the
same thing, ignore them.

If, however, people want to discuss design or engineering problems without
actually writing any code, then I fail to see the problem with that, even if
it is covering areas that have been done previously in a different way.
After all, if it's just a discussion of potential ideas then there is no
harm in that, and it may even lead to innovative solutions that no-one would
have thought of by themselves.

Even if these ideas don't get implemented straight away, if they are good
ideas they can be added to the todo list. If they are bad ideas the
discussion will die by itself. If there is a repetition of a previous
discussion, people should be pointed at the old thread (but that has not
been the case recently).

> Regarding the rudeness in general. I feel this is a common action, and
> serves its purpose. If you don't agree, please look at:
> http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html and you will get
> a better idea of _why_ these things happen.

There is a difference between brevity and arbitrary rudeness. A sarcastic
slant on RTFM is also to be expected, but again, that is not arbitrary
rudeness. Whether or not these things happen for a reason (such as
frustration) does not automatically excuse them.

Quite simply, I have no problem with newbies being given RTFM or sracastic
answers (I do it myself at times), but I am slightly bothered that perfectly
reasonable design-related discussions are being unjustifiably killed off. If
I see a thread that doesn't interest me, I ignore it. As long as threads
aren't totally off-topic or FAQ related, I don't see why everyone else can't
do the same thing.

- Robert
Received on 2002-08-15