What do you think about adding a "No RTFM" policy to the R mailing
lists? Per, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM":
The Ubuntu Forums and LinuxQuestions.org, for instance, have instituted
"no RTFM" policies to promote a welcoming atmosphere.[8][9].
RTFM [and] "Go look on google" are two inappropriate responses to a
question. If you don't know the answer or don't wish to help, please say
nothing instead of brushing off someone's question. Politely showing
someone how you searched or obtained the answer to a question is
acceptable, even encouraged.
...
If you wish to remind a user to use search tools or other resources when
they have asked a question you feel is basic or common, please be very
polite. Any replies for help that contain language disrespectful towards
the user asking the question, i.e. "STFU" or "RTFM" are unacceptable and
will not be tolerated. —Ubuntu Forums
Gavin Simpson and I recently provided examples answering a question from
"r.ookie" that had previously elicited responses, ""You want us to read
the help page to you?" and "It yet again appears that you are asking us
to read the help pages for you."
I can appreciate the sentiment in fortunes('rtfm'). In this case,
however, "r.ookie" had RTFM (and said so), but evidently the manual was
not sufficiently clear.
Best Wishes,
Spencer Graves
______________________________________________
R-devel@r-project.org mailing list
https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel
