> There seems to be a few "traffic cops" on this Sig that complain about
> messages being Off Topic. So I thought it might be good if we defined what
> is On Topic.
>
> >From the title of the Sig you should talk about Linux or Ham radio. Or
> perhaps you need to BE a Ham and talk only about Linux. Or you must only
> talk about the Ham Radio parts of Linux.
Linux AND Amateur Radio. If your question related to both of these things
then here is a suitable place to ask. If it relates to only one of these
things, or neither, then there are more appropriate places to ask.
It probably isn't a problem to people who only subscribe to a few mailing
lists, but I subscribe to about 50 or so which I read and participate in
regularly. I find off-topic messages difficult to deal with because often
I see questions answered many times on one mailing list and the questions
being asked on another. I'm then left with a situation where I either
act as postman and shuffle information across because the question wasn't
asked in the appropriate forum, or I shuffle users instead.
I think of mailing lists like I think of any other tool. If used for
their intended purpose they work so much better than for some other.
Additionally, I subscribe to mailing lists that are relevant to issues
that are of interest to me. Like many, if the content of the mailing
list begins to become irrelevant I unsubscribe.
> I think those who are concerned feel the last definition is the proper one.
> This being the case it is not proper to ask how to make the Linux system
> work with my printer, or how to convert a dos file to a unix one.
That's right. There are other mailing lists, irc, newsgroups, HOWTO's and
resources that are far more appropriate to address those sorts of questions.
> Let me make an observation for those who are true experts with Linux and the
> GCC elf compiler. Most of the guys who get this Sig are not in any way
> expert with either. I am guilty of false information in a message(s) because
> I had never even heard about using man 8 to read ANOTHER set of man pages.
> But I learned it here in this Sig. I learned all I now know about ax25-utils
> from this Sig. And I alone learned a lot about Linux printing from guys who
> sent me alone messages on the subject.
This is a specialist mailing list. You wouldn't go to a psychiatrist
if you had a rash.
What we are seeing is one of the differences between Internet culture and
Amateur Radio culture. Hams are used to lacking organisation and discipline,
the PBBS environment (no offense intended to any PBBS people) does little to
encourage otherwise. The Internet on the other hand is highly organised.
> It's my opinion there are others on the Sig who would also like to learn
> about printing.
The linux-newbies list is an excellent place to ask non-specialised
questions. You subscribe to it in the same way that you subscribed to
this one:
To: vrsubk.ueacf@ruwenzori.net
Subject: anything
Body: subscribe linux-newbies
> Perhaps another Sig is needed where only those who can pass a stiff test can
> be part of. This could be where the code writers could discuss this issue,
> and not need to help the ignorant masses.
I'm happy to help anyone on this list who asks a question that relates
to Linux AND Amateur Radio. If I wanted to help people with printing
questions I'd be subcribed to a mailing list that addressed printing
questions.
> But I think a better solution is tolorance of loose definitions and use
> PRIVATE e-mail to ask a user to stay closer to topic.
The courtesy works both ways. It's just as incourteous to ask the question
in an inappropriate forum as it is to be publicy redressed for doing so.
> It is human to get mad at some things. It is stupid to get mad at something
> you make no money from and just a tiny percentage of Hams ever read. There
> were so many angry hams writing to the Advanced TCP/IP Sig that the owner
> closed it down "for awhile". I do not blame Brian.
I'm not mad about it, and I don't think others are either. It's just
frustrating trying to maintain quality on a list when its purity is
spoiled by irrelevancy. I'm not perfect either as those subscribed to
tcpgroup would know :) This message itself is probably irrelevant.
regards
Terry