Alan, I've seen this too. Ryan's points are valid as well.
A polite response of Read the Manual is sufficient. For those with **URGENT** requests, a polite pointer to paid support options would be appropriate as well. Now, deep down inside I'd really like rip and shred -- there are times when it's clear the poster has no respect for others and a 'why haven't you taken care of me?' pushy attitude that exudes from the posting. Those are best ignored in my opinion, but as a measure of grace a polite response isn't out of the question. Thanks for the post Alan. It likely hits home for just about every regular 'Baculite' on the list. Erich On Mar 16, 2007, at 1:05 PM, Alan Davis wrote: > > > >Message: 8 > > >Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:51:32 +0100 > > > > > >El vie, 16-03-2007 a las 16:14 +0100, Marc Cuypers escribi?: > > >> Hi, > > >> > > >> Has someone bacula working with a HP MSL2024 autochanger? > > >> > > > > > >Indeed. > > > > > > > /rant mode on/ > > > > Ladies and Gentleman, > > > > The mailing list is the primary customer support mechanism and one of > > the only expressions of "community" for the excellent "community > supported" > > product that is Bacula. > > > > I have seen too many responses on this list that, while they may > answer the > > question /exactly/ (although too many aren't even that helpful) they > > provide absolutely no useful or meaningful information. > > > > Please keep in mind as you respond that users come to this list > looking for > > help with a complex system that they probably don't understand > fully. While > > sometimes the assurance that something is indeed possible is enough > to spur > > a user to more detailed tests and a re-reading of the manual quite > often > > additional information from more experienced users is most helpful. > > > > It's not difficult, as experienced users, to anticipate the type of > > information that might be required to guide someone past the > difficulties > > expressed in their posting to the list. > > > > The Bacula user's community is somewhat self-selected to be more > > "professional" than the general Linux user in that smaller > installations > > don't need a backup system as capable as bacula. > > > > Please remember to treat our community members with respect and > patience. > > > > The mailing list is the primary support channel available to all users > > at all experience levels. While a product's technical excellence is > important > > in choosing a solution for business needs, a FOSS product whose user > > community is treated well by their peers will enjoy greater success > than one > > who's users are left to support themselves completely. > > > > Vendors of proprietary products are quite often judged by users and > in the > > trade press on both quality of their products and quality of their > support. > > The same is true for FOSS products except that /we/ are the support > staff and > > the competition is just a download away. If a Bacula user can't get > their problem > > resolved quickly and easily with help from the mailing list they'll > quickly > > move on to another solution. They don't have the options that are > available > > to users of proprietary products - find another support vendor or use > > financial incentives with the vendor to improve response from them. > > > > /rant mode off/ > > > > ---- > > Alan Davis > > Senior Architect > > Ruckus Network, Inc. > > 703.464.6578 (o) > > 410.365.7175 (m) > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > alancdavis AIM > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > --- > Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT > Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to > share your > opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys-and earn cash > http://www.techsay.com/default.php? > page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDEV________________________________ > _______________ > Bacula-users mailing list > Bacula-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bacula-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to share your opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys-and earn cash http://www.techsay.com/default.php?page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDEV _______________________________________________ Bacula-users mailing list Bacula-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bacula-users
