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Date:      Thu, 18 Jun 1998 19:29:05 -0700
From:      "Michael P. Sale" <mike@merchantsnet.com>
To:        "Nik Clayton" <nik@nothing-going-on.demon.co.uk>
Cc:        <freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Re: Lists, newbies & support (was: Re: Where to get Windows Internet stuff/ More on Windows & BSD)
Message-ID:  <01bd9b2a$07d9fc20$3d06bccc@708644668>

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>When said newbie finally gets the answer (either because they've worked
>it out for themselves, or because someone's provided them with sufficient
>pointers (or even a working solution)) do they then write it up and
>contribute it back to FreeBSD?

I doubt it.  I would guess there are three reasons for this though.

a.  Fear of looking silly and don't think they can really contribute (yet)

b.  Burried in work with no time

c.  Slugs

>
>[ Forgive me, I'm about to reminisce ]
>
<snip lots o' info>
>
>If you find something unclear in the FAQ or Handbook then try and improve
>it. Messages like "This is unclear" don't really help. Suggestions that
>include alternatives (preferably already marked up so the person who
commits
>it just has to go "Yeah, that makes sense, <patch> <commit>.") help move
>us forward.
>
>It's generally acknowledged that things aren't perfect. Pointing this out
>doesn't really get us anywhere. People actually doing something about it
>is what we need.[1]

I agree.  I actually spent waaaaaayyyyyy too much time in a discussion with
the list (Sue) when I was having trouble with a portion in Gregs book.
After much wrasslin, I said "hey, if no one else see's it the way I do, I'll
let it go".  And I did.  I still think that part of the book is pretty bad,
but I can't argue a case without backup and if Greg was monitoring the
thread he didn't speak up.


I suppose that I should have taken the case straight to Greg, but I assumed
(we all know where that gets you) that he was probably watching a little and
as a newbie I was suffering from #1 above.

Anyhow, I'm not really sure where your thought was headed.  I doubt anyone
disagrees with you.  I just suspect they suffer one of the problems listed.
:-(

I also suspect that a newbies-questions group may allow some of the thoughts
and input you are looking for.  Free thinking unafraid questions tend to
generate more thought and input than anything else I've found.

Mike


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