* Scott D Yelich <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> On Mon, 11 Sep 2000, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
>> Scott D. Yelich <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
[Asking for XYZ when everyone knows XYZ is a dumb thing to do]
>> Very often, people new to an area get really dumb ideas. I've done it
>> myself. Sometimes wanting to do "XYZ" is a warning flag for one of
>> these. Telling them how to do "XYZ" is likely to not help them reach
>> their actual goal.
People that told me how XZY were the ones that made me put /etc under
CVS. Just in case...
>> Of course, since I can't read their minds, I can't know this for
>> sure. So my options are to answer the question, while suspecting I'm
>> not being helpful -- or ask a question of my own to determine what
>> answer would be useful. Seems an easy choice to me.
> Yes, sometimes. But should one really assume that everyone is just
> nothing but a clueless qqqq'n newbie and thus simply assume to have
> the right to think for them and proceed to do so?
Absolutely. I vividly remember asking how to run an alpha version of
Gnus. Without using a backup recipe in procmail. *smack* 1500 mails
gone. I would not have minded telling *why* I wanted to run this
particular version of dangerous software. Modern Linux distributions
go to great lenghts to a) win the version size war and b) enable
users to run software that is likely to do considerable harm to their
systems.
Clueless newbies come in two flavours: dick-size challenged lusers and
people who are genuinely lost. Guess which group will appreciate an
affirmative question?
> How about... another example. Perhaps this one is clearer and/or more
> close to home:
> Q : How do I install qmail?
> A : You install postfix by blah blah
> blah.
> QQ: I asked about qmail.....
> AA: No one uses qmail, everyone uses postfix because it's better.
> Hell, use sendmail, if you have to, just don't use qmail. No one
> uses qmail... see, even FAQs say don't use qmail.
> Understand?
Never saw this on this list. Remember the OP in this[1] thread? A luser
wanted to make copies of all incoming/outgoing mail. He got a correct,
concise and (give the circumstances (the solution is advertised in
<b>bold</b> letters in the FAQ)) polite answer. I mean, face it: if
you're too fscking stoopid to recompile a freaking mailserver (one of
the tools most likely to wreak havoc on unsuspecting admins if
configured improperly), you *do* *not* *need* one.
> There's just, what I perceive, as a growing tendency for people to answer
> a question with what they want, regardless of what they were asked. This
> doesn't just mean that a person is asking about qmail on a qmail list and
> is only being told about qmail -- this is just a general observation.
Well, thanks for bringing your observation to our attention. Happens
to me every day. "Yo, d00d3, how much for the Bentley?" "Err, Sir, I
think you'd rather take a look at those matchbox Bentleys..." Does not
happen on this list, though. Sorry for blowing your attempt at making
a point. Next time, maybe. Gotta try harder, Scott.
> Sometimes corporate or clients demand something... sometimes people
> want to experiment or try things out.
You do not want to experiment with an MTA. Or with a newsserver. Unless
you know what you're doing. In which case you're not experimenting but
evaluating possibilities.
> Sometimes one size just won't fit all.
Only if your solution is too small. My experience in this field is
extremely limited. Thanks, God.
> Sometimes people may just have to make their own mistakes. After all,
> if shouldn't we all just be using mircosoft solutions... and exchange?
> It *is* the best MTA, right? :-/
No, Scott, it isn't. But making a mistake with an MTA *sucks* if you're
connected.
> Anyway, it's no biggy... just a little something to chuckle at. It's
> like ending a sentence with a preposition.
Prepositions are no good thing to end a sentence with, Scott.
> ps: have you noticed that LES's address bounces? I wonder if he's
> having difficulty with qmail. I struggled with qmail yesterday for 3+
> hours...
I've been struggling with it ever since I installed it. Good software.
> I followed a FAQ/HOWTO to the letter... it's faulty. Yes, I finally
> figured it out and I even resisted asking the list.
man diff
We're lightyears OT, reply-to set. Happy reading, Scott.
Footnotes:
[1] Courtesy of Microsoft Crapware(tm), we're now in thread number
four, but who cares these days?
--
Robin S. Socha <http://socha.net/>
