Agreed Eric. The more descriptive your subject lines are, the more quickly you are able to get help and the more inclined everyone is to help.
Also, as Eric suggested, it will make it easier for newbies to come in later and read the emails and find solutions to a similar problem they are having. A good article that bears reading from another Eric S. :) is here: http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html Cheers, Maurice ----- Original Message ----- From: Eric S. Harris Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2001 8:57 AM Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Subject line suggestion for "newbies" To my fellow Perl "newbies": You might want to consider using a more meaningful subject line than something like these, all culled from the last month: o beginner question o Can any one see an error in here I can't? o Hello. How can I fix this line of code? o hello!! please help me!! o Help needed o Help reqd. o Help with Perl o Help, I am new to Perl o I need Help o I need your help o Newbie question... o please take a look o Question o Question, o question o what am I doing? o What is better Such subject lines aren't much help. After all, if the subject line doesn't begin with "Re:" it's pretty clear you have a question. (... rather than an answer. Though it might be a rant/plea, like this message.) And it's probably from a beginner/newbie. After all, if you're posting it here makes it pretty clear you're a "newbie". Those with the same or similar questions -- on hashes or regexes or whatever -- won't know to read the answers, either. That doesn't help them. Plus, reading the subject line won't reveal the subject of your question -- be it hashes or whatever -- those with the ability and interest in it. They may skip it. That doesn't help them notice your question so they can apply their special expertise or interest. Which that doesn't help you, either. -Eric S. P.S. I almost included "loopy question" in the list of unhelpful subject lines, but thought better of it. And was glad I did, after looking at the body of the message. (It was a question about while loops.) Did you read "renaming files - fatuous newbie query" from James Alexander McCarney? It was perfect. I should be so witty and clear. -ESH P.P.S. Another suggestion: if you happen to notice a message with the subject "Weekly list FAQ posting" from casey at geeknest.com, you might want to read it. I finally did. It put hair on my chest, a song in my heart and improved my gas mileage 200%. It also contains helpful information and suggestions. Even about choice of subject lines. -ESH -- E-mail privacy: http://www.curleywolfe.net/cw/E_Privacy.shtml (Perhaps a bit over-cautious, she is. Perhaps.) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com
