On Sun, 14 Mar 2010, ivp wrote: > >> http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html > >> > >> Yes > > > > Did you read it all.? > > Yes > > Presumably you're refering to "How To Interpret Answers" > > If so, that's the debate du jour > > A new subscriber should be encouraged to read the section on posting, > and even, might I be so bold, asked to demonstrate what they've learned > from it. Including, for example and especially, how some responses come > about and how they would and should react. And be put on moderation > for a few posts. Consider it Boot Camp, or at least Basic Training. Now, > if they don't measure up, are they List material ? That's not being elitist. > I'm sure most people are using this list to advance their knowledge of > PICs and electronics, not as an exercise to see how many "Delete Unread" > filters they can amass or relate anecdotes about "this dick on my email > group...." > > Now we come to the nub. If a subscriber has passed Boot Camp, and > been on initial moderation, they should hopefully post thoughtfully and > not attract "objectionable" responses > > Despite the Boot Camp allusion, pimply young lads are not being prepared > to go over the top as machinegun fodder. PICList isn't a war zone. A little > training though will save a lot of confrontation down the track > > Assuming that everyone on the list has passed through Boot Camp, and > the training wheels are now off, how should the list respond to a blunt > "Duh, how does the PIC's A2D work ?" > > Most will see it as a very lazy question and ignore it > Some will be nice and indulge the lazy poster > A few will see indulging the lazy poster as encouraging laziness > A fewer few will hesitate not a moment and send a brusque "RTFM" > > We all understand why "RTFM" responses happen. As I said earlier, > that should now include the poster. I understand why some people > consider RTFM rude and others don't. If you're the recipient, it's not > good reading and can give you quite a turn. Others empathise with > that feeling > This really is getting WAY BEYOND a joke (no personal dig at you Joe). I mean come on! Boot camp?! How to ask questions?! How to interpret answers?! How newbies should behave whilest in the presence of their betters?! Look, the fact is, the people here who feel so superior and unable to deal with "stupid questions" are only in that position because they have been at this for suuuuuch a long time (at some point they were asking stupid questions as well). They have loads of experience on the subject BUT that doesn't make them any more valuable as people or even members of society. A valuable person is one from which we benefit not one we need to pussyfoot around, be scared of, keeps the community under his thumb. All this "I'm too clever to deal with idiots like you" BS is just a mighty self stroking of ones own ego. If you're really so intelligent how about modifying your behaviour to fit in with what everyone else expects. If someone asks (what you consider to be) a stupid question then just ignore it. No one elected you to shoot the newbie. If someone wants to answer the stupid question let them. What exactly is it costing you to just ignore it? There are sooooo many really clever people on this list that seem to be able to answer questions without injecting emotion or condemnation, why is it that these people are able to get along with the list as it is but the list as a whole needs to change to accomodate one person who is too arrogent to want to do things any other way but his own? It is now very obvious that Olin wants to be on this list as Olin. So I propose that you take Olin OFF moderation, give him one last chance to play nice, and if he sets off another nuke you simply ban him. Sure he can keep coming back using aliases but he wont want to if he can't be seen to be Olin, if he can't gain exposure from posting to the list. Regards (really fed up) Sergio Masci -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist