Re: [cobalt-users] RaQ technical software manual?

["Carrie Bartkowiak" <ravencarrie@xxxxxxxx>]

> >> > Hence this list is so useful, but I can't help thinking that a
> technical
> >> > manual would save a lot of questions!

I'd love to say I agree with you, but it would only save questions from the
more serious list users - dare I say the more "cerebral" list members?

For an example, think of how many threads are in the archives about Webmail
or web-based email programs for the RaQ.
And then scroll back through the messages you have in your filtered cobalt
folder in your email program, and look at how many times you see "webmail".
(shopping cart programs, how to install mysql, how to change the default
cobalt page, how to get .htacess files working...)

We've got such a huge collection of information already - the list
archives - but people are too lazy to use it. And they MUST know it exists -
on the signup page for this list there's the search box right there to go
through the archives!

I was thinking about this the other day and came up with a list of topics
that I'm not going to respond to anymore. :(
No one is going to lose anything by *me* not responding to these topics, and
I won't be encouraging people to just post rather than look through the
archive. If I keep answering these "dead horse" questions, *I* am helping to
clutter up the archives and *I* am encouraging people to get a quick-fix and
post, rather than searching. (Which, if you think about it, makes no sense -
because you can find an answer in the archives much quicker than typing out
your problem, posting it to the list, waiting for it to show up [sometimes
days], and waiting for someone to answer.)
I think a lot of list members have done this, albeit quietly, because over
the past few months I've really noticed some of the more vocal members just
being completely silent on some topics that have that "beating a dead horse"
status in the archives.

Thom has spoken up quite frequently about a different type of list for
Cobalt users. I think he's right.
There's this list, and the developer's list. Given the type of questions
that *normally* come through here, maybe there needs to be a "middle ground"
list? For people who DO search the archives but don't find a definitive
answer, and for people who have moved beyond "how do I set up a subdomain?"
type of questions.

If you guys put up this technical manual, I'll definitely bookmark it and
probably refer to it often - I'm looking in the list archives nearly every
day for answers to questions that just pop into my mind. But think about
Thom's idea of another list, and what I said about people not using your
manual. There's no "if you build it, they will come". Some people are just
too lazy.

One thing I'd really appreciate is if other list members would put up their
favorite "alternative" sources on the web. Other lists, websites, etc. That
would sure cut down on the number of questions I personally ask - because
I'm not sure what lists would be effective for me, given the 'altered' state
of the Cobalt operating system and how so many things just don't run (or the
files aren't in the same place) the same way.

CarrieB