Re: [cobalt-users] Mailing List FAQ (Seems like it is needed again...)

[John Keegan <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nice list, Scott. I would make one addition; it seems that recently an
excessive number of posts have dealt with information that is contained in
the Cobalt users manuals.

You can download a manual for your Cobalt appliance at:

http://www.cobalt.com/support/resources/manuals.html

-- 
John Keegan
john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.keeganbrothers.com



> From: "Vachon, Scott" <Scott.Vachon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Reply-To: cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 12:24:49 -0600
> To: "'cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [cobalt-users] Mailing List FAQ (Seems like it is needed again...)
> 
> 
> The Cobalt Users Mailing List meta-FAQ, Version 0.05
> ====================================================
> 
> Not so much an FAQ but a guide to how to get your FAQs and IAQs answered.
> 
> 0.  Do not be afraid to ask questions.  There are helpful people here.
> Nobody was born with this knowledge - and we are all still learning.
> 
> 1.  There's ways of annoying those helpful people, and there's ways of
> getting the most from them.  This is what this guide is primarily about.
> 
> 2.  If you can, read the list for a while (days, weeks, months even)
> before posting to it.  This will give you a feel for it.
> 
> 3.  The chances are that you are not the first person to have asked your
> question.  In the case of Cobalt's products, the answers are archived in
> the Knowledge Base and in the mailing list archives.  To check those
> resources go to http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-users,
> and learn to search the Web for answers on non-Cobalt specific questions.
> 
> 3.1 But remember that not everything you read is correct!  Read all the way
> through an archived thread before doing anything.
> 
> 3.2 When you post, consider indicating that you have tried these avenues,
> particularly if you are new to the list: people are much more willing to
> help those who try to help themselves first.
> 
> 3.3 Invest in some books; and don't expect the list to do your job for you.
> 
> 4.  When you post, observe some "rules".
> 
> 4.1. Give a meaningful subject, including the precise product.  E.g.
> "[RaQ 3] Strange error in web log".  In the body of your post, include
> enough information that people will understand your problem and be able
> to help.  But don't include 500 lines of logfile of which only one is
> relevant.
> 
> 4.2. If it's a fresh subject, then make a fresh post, don't "reply" to
> an existing message.  Even if you change the subject line, for many people
> your post will be threaded under the original thread.  (Which they may
> have chosen to disregard in the meantime.  You *do* want people to
> read and respond, don't you?)
> 
> 4.3. Do not post in HTML (sometimes called Rich Text).  This really
> winds some people up.  There are many reasons, not least of which is
> that for people subscribed to the list digest, it appears as raw HTML,
> and in other words is practically unreadable.  If people can't read it,
> they certainly won't reply to it.
> 
> 4.4. Do not top-post.  That is to say, when replying to a post, give
> context to your post in the form of just enough quoted material, and
> put your responses *after* the quoted material.  Put a space between
> the quoted material and your response, and again before the next section
> of quoted material.
> 
> 4.4.1 Again, consider the effect top-posting has on the digest form
> of the list, and consider how when you were searching the archives
> (as you were, remember?) the most useful replies were the ones that
> came *after* the question.  Further argument about this point can be
> referred to RFC 1855 and just about every guide to newsgroup and
> mailing list etiquette ever written.
> It is not a "personal preference".  It is a standard.
> 
> 4.5. Keep your line lengths short, less than 80 characters.  Otherwise,
> many people will see your post with some badly-mangled formatting,
> and be less inclined to read it.
> 
> 4.6. Read your post through before sending, and check for spelling, grammar,
> 
> and layout.  The easier it is to read, the more likely people are to
> respond.
> Check you've given enough information to give people a clue.
> 
> 4.7. Don't criticise someone else's spelling and grammar.  In fact, in
> general, do not flame.  If you wouldn't make the same comment face-to-face
> with someone twice your size, don't say it.
> 
> 4.8. Keep your signature short - four lines is reckoned to be plenty.  Use
> the correct sig separator: "-- " on a line by itself.  Some mail software
> will then be able to strip it automatically.
> 
> 4.9  Do not repost your question before a number of days (a week maybe?)
> have elapsed.  If you do not receive a prompt reply, it's probably because
> your post was not well written in the first place, the question has been
> answered several times already (check the archives), the gurus of the list
> are behind on reading posts, or there's nobody on the list that can answer
> your question.  If you wish to repost your question after said amount of
> time, be sure to include any additional information you may have gathered
> since your last post which would help someone respond.  Reposting your
> question multiple times within a short time period (i.e.: daily) will likely
> ensure you are /dev/null'd (redirected to the bit bucket, however you wish
> to phrase it).
> 
> 5. Do not post the following:
> 5.1 binaries or attachments of any sort.
> 5.2 advertising, "make money fast" (a.k.a. "lose account fast") etc.
> 5.3 way off-topic questions - like setting up a video card in Windows.
> 
> 5.4 If it's not Cobalt-specific then consider directing your question
> to a Linux (or other appropriate) forum.  But people do understand that
> particularly for newbies it's not obvious if something is Cobalt-specific.
> If you get the urge to start an off-topic thread, it is best to put
> that in the subject line.
> 
> 5.5 You will find that threads veer off onto totally unrelated subjects.
> People have way more tolerance for this than they do for threads that
> start off off-topic.  Don't criticise people in such a thread for being
> off-topic.  Do, if contributing, consider changing the subject line, and
> adding "[OT]", or similar.
> 
> 6.  Do not assume that everybody lives in the same country; if you are
> looking for a service, then say where you are situated.  Try to avoid
> regional words and phrases that not everybody will understand.
> 
>> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> 
> Notes & Links:
> 
> Compiled by Dom Latter with contributions from, amongst others:
> Dan Kriwitsky, Rodolfo J. Paiz, Brian Curtis, Rob Evans.
> This document is freely distributable, as long as it is without charge,
> but remains copyright of the named individuals, and must retain
> this copyright notice.
> 
> 
> An etiquette guide:    http://wise.fau.edu/netiquette/net/elec.html
> RFC 1855:              http://www.dtcc.edu/cs/rfc1855.html
> More etiquette:
> http://www.gweep.bc.ca/~edmonds/usenet/ml-etiquette.html
> 
> --S--
> 
> 
> A government that is large enough to supply everything you need is large
> enough to take everything you have.
> -Thomas Jefferson
> 
> 
> "Any comments or statements made are not necessarily those of the firm, its
> subsidiaries or affiliates"
> 
> 
> 
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