[clug] Asking questions on the CLUG mailing list

[Bob Edwards]

This topic was discussed at last nights meeting.

There were some suggestions. One was flagging "technical" questions
(and answers) with "[tech]" in the subject, or some such. I doubt
that this will gain much traction, but we could try...

Many of us on the list have just adopted standard "norms" for
how to ask and answer questions on this (and other) mailing lists.

When questions are posed outside of these "norms", many of us are
rattled a bit, however good our intentions may be about wanting to
be able to provide helpful responses.

There are some attempts out on the web to codify the "norms" that
many of us on this list take for granted. One of the better known
is: http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html "How To Ask
Questions The Smart Way", by Eric S. Raymond (et. al).

Just putting it out there as a reference in case it may be useful
reading to some. Not to be used as an excuse for poor etiquette
in responding to questions...

cheers,

Bob Edwards.