On 6/4/05, Patrick Donker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Exactly! People dont have the time to read the docs, but do have time to
> subscribe to and write messages to the list asking for solutions and
> wait for them. Where does that time come from then? 

For most people, it is much quicker to ask someone who knows than to
search and comprehend the often cryptic documentation.  Frankly when
searching for a solution to one of my problems, I often just skip over
the docs as I know a google search will turn up a better explanation
of what I need to do. If all else fails I read try to find the info in
the documentation.  Usually I don't ask for help on a list or
newsgroup until it is clear I can't figure it out or find anything on
the Internet.

> I often try to do
> the usual googling and archive searching first before asking the list.
> Many times it happens that while I am 'waiting' for an answer I find the
> solution myself because in the mean time I, ofcourse, continue fiddling
> with the problem myself. I also inform lists that I have found the
> solution already and how I did it. That way one can inform people who
> are looking into the problem as well, that no further action is needed.
> Another benefit of posting the solution to the list is that doing so  it
> is added to the archive. Next time someone has a similar problem, and
> also has the time, he/she can look it up in the archive.

Excellent!  This is also why it is so important for list archives to
be indexed by google (and other search engines.

For some really serious problems, where I only found the answer on
some obscure website, I will post a message to a usenet group or
mailing list with the problem and my solution.  Hopefully that makes
it easier to find the next time someone has a problem.

-Tom

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