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Date:      Sun, 1 Mar 1998 02:52:54 -0500 (EST)
From:      James <jamesh@etsu.edu>
To:        Sue Blake <sue@welearn.com.au>
Cc:        zjhh2@Access.ETSU.Edu, Greg Lehey <grog@lemis.com>, Mark Mayo <mark@vmunix.com>, freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG, owner-freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG, jhhiggins@prodigy.net, sue@phoenix.welearn.com.au
Subject:   Re: newbies mailing list
Message-ID:  <Pine.BSF.3.96.980301024017.11276B-100000@localhost>
In-Reply-To: <19980301183351.42354@welearn.com.au>

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On Sun, 1 Mar 1998, Sue Blake wrote:

> On Sun, Mar 01, 1998 at 02:18:38AM -0500, James wrote:
> > 
> > 
> > On Sun, 1 Mar 1998, Greg Lehey wrote:
> > 
> > > On Sun,  1 March 1998 at 17:56:47 +1100, Sue Blake wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I wasn't thinking of a place to get answers. There's a great deal more to
> > > > being a newbie than having questions. I was thinking more of a place to just
> > > > be for a while with real peers, to let off steam and get things into
> > > > perspective. One problem that will arise is people trying to answer other
> > > > people's questions. That cannot be stopped, but the focus can put it into
> > > > perspective.
> > > 
> > > I think you need to say this in the charter, then.
> > 
> > Definitely.
> 
> But do you like the sound of that approach or not?

That sounds like a good approach.  It also accomplishes something very
importatnt and that is just getting the new lurkers out of the dark and
talking on the lists.  Once that is achieved the rest of the lists cantake
over.  

I think that is the big underlying problem.  I have posted more in the
last couple of hours than I have ever.  I think if you can accomplish that
and get good discussion going you will kill fears of posting and achieve
the bigger goal of people being helped with their problems.  (well
pertinent problems anyway.. :) )

> > > > Of course, this relates to just one idea of what a newbies' list might be.
> > > 
> > > It'll be interesting to see what comes of it.  I think the more
> > > experienced people should also be asked to shut up and not participate
> > > (though they could be allowed to lurk).
> > 
> > Also for easy expert opinions should questions arise.  Nothing wrong with
> > a friendly experienced person adding to traffic as long as the focus is
> > clearly directed towards newbies.
> 
> Yes... but it depends. Say Joe Bloggs knows a lot and answers really well
> and hangs around the new list, and more experienced Joe Bloggs fans come
> over and start asking about all sorts of hairy things. Asking them to go
> elsewhere would make some newbies fear for their own welcome, and reduce the
> level of support from something everyone had become accustomed to.

Yeah that Joe Bloggs guy is brilliant or something......

There will be no way you can totally prevent overlap, or even a few
technical questions.  

> Any kind of newbie list would be an improvement, IMO. It'd be nice if some
> of the outcomes included newbies feeling that they're not alone, that at
> least for a time they can't do anything that won't be forgiven, and that

Exactly, I think that should be what a newbie list is.  Create an area
open to free discussion where occasioal "dumb" questions can be asked with
no bad feelings.

> even as newbies they might be able to ease the path for someone else. I can
> live without all that, but I'd rather not.

Welcome to FreeBSD-NewbieAdvocacy.. :)

James 


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