Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 12:11:16 -0800 (PST) From: John Baldwin <jhb@FreeBSD.org> To: Ron Tarrant <rtarrant@sympatico.ca> Cc: doc@FreeBSD.org Subject: RE: Misleading Message-ID: <XFMail.010326121116.jhb@FreeBSD.org> In-Reply-To: <3ABF408D.B6B070B8@sympatico.ca>
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On 26-Mar-01 Ron Tarrant wrote: > Hi, > > The other day, I was reading Chapter 19 of the FreeBSD handbook online > and got into a bit of a pickle after clicking on a link. I'd like to > bring your attention to the following passage: > > --------------------------------- start > ------------------------------------ > 19.2.2.3. Using FreeBSD-STABLE > > 1.Join the FreeBSD-stable mailing list <freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.org>. > This will keep you informed of build-dependencies that may appear in > stable or any other issues requiring special attention. Developers will > also make announcements in this mailing list when they are contemplating > some controversial fix or update, giving the users a chance to respond > if they have any issues to raise concerning the proposed change. > > The FreeBSD CVS commit message mailing list <cvs-all@FreeBSD.org> > mailing list will allow you to see the commit log entry for each change > as it is made along with any pertinent information on possible > side-effects. > > ------------------------------------ end > ------------------------------------- > > The two bits in angle brackets ( <freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.org> and > <cvs-all@FreeBSD.org> ) appear, at first glance, to be links set up to > join the respective mailing lists. Unless the reader goes so far as to > read the next paragraph after these two, s/he won't realize this is not > the case. I was informed by two different readers of the freebsd-stable > mailing list that my message asking to be added to the freebsd-stable > mailing list went out to everyone who subscribes, rather than just to > the majordomo. > > I'd like to suggest that these links be either changed to point to the > appropriate e-mail addresses or be taken out altogether so as to avoid > this type of thing happening. I'm not a newbie to computers or to UNIX, > but I was mislead by this and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I was > embarassed to find that, in my haste to quickly sign up to the mailing > list, I ended up looking like a bit of a dweeb to everyone else already > signed on. I admit I was in a hurry, but I don't quite understand why > these links would be set up in such a way as to post messages directly > onto the list. Seems a bit chancey in the grand scheme of things, given > that a number of corporate and marketing types are turning to FreeBSD > these days. Every single one of them, considering the time pressure > they're under, will likely do the same thing I did (who reads more than > they have to, right?). For the sake of the mailing list subscribers, I > implore you to make these changes. > > Thanks for reading. If any part of this message comes across as rude, I > appologize. The links are appropriate I think (note that those are the e-mail addrs of the list, which is the same consistent style of the rest of the documentation). Perhaps having 'Join' be a hyperlink to the section that talks about subscribing to lists would work however? -- John Baldwin <jhb@FreeBSD.org> -- http://www.FreeBSD.org/~jhb/ PGP Key: http://www.baldwin.cx/~john/pgpkey.asc "Power Users Use the Power to Serve!" - http://www.FreeBSD.org/ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-doc" in the body of the message
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