On Wed, 03 May 2006, MJ Ray wrote: > Peter Samuelson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > One might think private messages are useful in user support, but > > #debian actually has a channel policy asking users not to send > > them without permission. [...] > > So, one might think the current #debian is not actually as useful in > user support as it could be?
You may have that opinion, but the rule has been put in place because far too often people ask for help from one volunteer, and the volunteer leaves to get on with their real life.... then the person getting help has to repeat everything that they've said to a new helper. It also makes it more difficult for the channel to see the help that users are getting, and make corrections or pitch in and help. That said, you can ask to /msg someone privately, and if they agree, they'll help you in /msg... but the default assumption is to keep the conversation in the channel. > > What aspects of Debian development warrant private conversations? > > Introductions, misunderstandings and conflict resolution. None of these encompass development even though they may facilitate it. > The first time I noticed this (the +q lunacy), the attitude seemed > to be that IRC clients should change to cope with freenode, not that > freenode should cope with clients. +q is just one way of specifying the ban; the actual ban is implemented as a +b with special syntax. /quote MODE #foo +q [EMAIL PROTECTED] is equivalent to /quote MODE #foo +b [EMAIL PROTECTED] (and it's not like that even matters, because casual users won't be using them anyway... and if you're in a position to use them and don't like them, you can always use +b) I personally haven't seen a client that had a problem with it... but given the way that some IRC clients are written, it wouldn't suprise me much. Don Armstrong -- The beauty of the DRUNKENNESS subprogram was that you could move your intoxication level up and down at will, instead of being caught on a relentless down escalator to bargain basement philosophy and the parking garage. -- Rudy von Bitter _Software_ p124 http://www.donarmstrong.com http://rzlab.ucr.edu -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
