Frequently asked questions in these groups deserve a monthly posting

[Larry Campbell]

In article <810060 at hpsemc.HP.COM> gph at hpsemc.HP.COM (Paul Houtz) writes:

-   I would like to see the following disclaimer ...

-   This is a list of FREQUENTLY asked questions and answers, and you are 
-   invited to read this list as a CONVENIENCE to see if an answer to your 
-   question has been posted in the past.   These answers are moderated, so 
-   they are quite reliable.
-
-   It is NOT NECESSARY for you to read this list before posting a question
-   to this newsgroup;  it is considered BAD nettiquette to flame any one
-   for asking a question that is answered in this posting.      

-   I am still worried about constriction of the bandwidth of this 
-newsgroup.   I am afraid that someone will ask a question that has 
-been asked before, that is summarized in the monthly posting, and 
-some jerk will flame them for not reading the monthly posting.

Whether the disclaimer is present or not, they will get flamed.  I don't
think they _should_ be flamed, but neither should they be wasting bandwidth
with ignorant questions for which answers are readily available.

-   It is not easy with our newsreader to read all the notes.  It is 
-quite easy to accidentally skip a note, and never see the FAQ list at
-all.  Let's give people the benefit of the doubt.

Now, wait a minute.  If they never see the FAQ list at all, then they'll
never see the disclaimer either, so why put it in?

In my opinion, if you know the FAQ list exists, you have an obligation
to read it before posting questions.  This is simply common courtesy.

And if you don't know it exists, you deserve to be gently reminded,
not flamed.  This is also common courtesy.

-When you create a list of frequently asked questions, you inadvertently
-create a rule that everyone must pour [sic] through that list every time they
-want to ask a question, or else they will get flamed for asking a question
-that is in that list.   It also seems to me that the list will get 
-arbitrarily large. 

The list need not be huge;  questions with long answers should probably
refer the reader to the appropriate page in K&R or other suitable reference.

(Yes, I do believe that people without a copy of K&R should not be posting
in this group.)

-- 
Larry Campbell                          The Boston Software Works, Inc.
campbell at bsw.com                        120 Fulton Street
wjh12!redsox!campbell                   Boston, MA 02146