From: dale@ldgo.columbia.edu (dale chayes)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi
Subject: Re: PLEASE!  read the group before asking questions.
Summary: We need a FAQ
Date: 13 Oct 92 13:45:17 GMT
Organization: Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory

In article <r0s5rt0@zuni.esd.sgi.com>, olson@anchor.esd.sgi.com (Dave Olson) writes:
> Recently there have been a series of requests for various pieces of
> information that have already been asked within the past few weeks.
>
 
	Dave raises a very valid point.  A substantial portion of the 
bandwidth of this news group is spent answering questions posed by folks
are new to SGIs/Irix/Unix. I'm not saying (nor is Dave I think) that
they shouldn't ask questions. But he is pointing out a bit of etiquite
about listening to the discussion first.

> I realize that some places expire news quickly, but surely most
> places most keep the 'important' groups for at least a couple of
> weeks.

	Pertinant to the "important" issue, lots of SGIs are showing 
up in small quantities in sites where they are far from the dominant or
'politically correct' kind of box to buy.  Therefore, they may not be 
considered important. 
	Having been in that position twice now (once with Masscomps 
and once with SGIs) I empathize with them.  Until you figure out that 
your local network manager can hold some groups longer than others.....
Its often the local admin types who wanted you to buy the kind of
machines that they know about, so until you are up to speed in the Unix
world, it can be difficult to get a 'favor'...

> I know that we don't have an FAQ for the group, 

	That's part of the problem. A good FAQ would probably reduce 
the volume of traffic, and help the new users. (We were all new to this
once, and those of us who are lucky, are always new to something.)

> but still, please
> check the recent articles before asking again.  I'm starting to
> reach the point where I won't answer some questions, just because
> they are too frequent (or were just answered recently).

	It would be a real loss to this group if Dave  and Vern and 
the others (sorry, I can't remember all the names) from SGI were to 
stop answering the hard questions. 
 
> Probably the people asking repeat questions won't see or remember
> this, but you never know.
> 
> There are archive sites for comp.sys.sgi (on sgi.com in
> ~ftp/comp.sys.sgi, among others) if you can't find them on your own
> news machines.

	
	Well, I shot my mouth off about a FAQ, so I feel obliged to 
help with creating one. I can't do it alone because my job takes me to 
sea and out of the country for nearly 1/2 of each year, so if we can 
find some others to help, lets just do it.  I also don't see it as a 
long term issue for me: after years of bucking the 'politically correct' 
computer choices, I'm beginging to cave in.....

	I don't think the discussion of who/how/what for a FAQ needs
to consume a lot of news bandwidth, so lets do the first round by e-mail. 



> Let no one tell me that silence gives consent,  |   Dave Olson
> because whoever is silent dissents.             |   Silicon Graphics, Inc.
>     Maria Isabel Barreno                        |   olson@sgi.com

Dale

-- 
Dale Chayes Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University
Route 9W, Palisades, N.Y.  10964	dale@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu
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