Manners when asking for information

[Wolf Kozel]

>  
>  
> Bruce - I too have noticed that, while noticing there is an increase in the
> rise in these type requests.  I have am also of the opinion, after reading
> many of the "email and I will sumarize" requests, that often the excuse is I
> am not a regular reader of this section, etc.   I feel that the "sumarize"
> excuse is a way of trying to save face instead of saying "I'm to lazy to RTFM
> and why should I bother if I can get the answer here".  Many of these request
> are/were uneccesary IF the reader had been a regular user, or are so simple
> they could be answered if the person weren't lazy.

Arn't people TERRIBLE?? If the requests are so simple, what do you care if
the user requests people e-mail instead of posting dozens of "simple RTFM"
replies?  Seems to me in that case, e-mail is preferable.

> On a good question I won't email if I feel if it is of general interest.  If
> it is a specific question, even posted generaly, I will email.  And most of
> the "please email - I'll sumarzie" requests I just ignore.  There appear to be
> an increasing number of readers who think usenet is their manual.
> 
> Bill Vermillion - UUCP: {uiucuxc,hoptoad,petsd}!peora!tarpit!bilver!bill
>                       : bill at bilver.UUCP

According to The Waite Groups UNIX COMMUNICATIONS, replies should be
e-mailed unless: "1)the response is likely to be of general interest to
the readers of the newsgroup in question or 2) not likely to be duplicated
by other responses.".  For example, the posting which asked "Has anybody
gotten a Computone Board to work bi-directionally with Modems??" would
have been a good e-mailer instead of reading 50% of the postings say
"No. They don't work" and 50% say "No problem here...".  What conclusion
can I draw from postings like that?? They work? They don't work? They
work sometimes??  In my opinion, I'd rather see someone draw a conclusion 
from e-mailings and followup.  If they don't followup -- no big loss here.

Wolf Kozel