[GRLUG] Distro's - GRLUG test comment, dead thread

[Ron Lauzon]

Brad Becker wrote:
> Good stuff, makes me wonder if there's any guides to *answering* newbie 
> questions for the technically proficient?
Hmmm....  Never gave much thought to that.  Let me give it a shot:

Ron's Guide to Answering Newbie Technical Questions

Making the assumption that they are at least attempting to follow "Ron's 
Guide to Asking Technical Questions for Newbies"...

1. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
2. If you can't answer the question, don't respond.
3. Don't respond RTFM unless you KNOW that the answer is REALLY is in 
the manual (and it would be helpful to quote the manual name and page).
4. Don't respond with "Google is your friend" unless you actually used 
Google and found the answer - again, the keywords you used would be 
helpful to the newbie if only to educate him in how to use Google.
5. If you do respond, be helpful.

At least this is how I try to answer newbie questions.  Most of them, I 
simply don't respond to.  Either they were disrespectful to me (and I 
would have nothing nice to say), or I can't answer their question.

Once in a while, I do offer constructive criticism when they post a "Why 
isn't anyone answering my questions?" as to how they should ask questions.

When I do respond with RTFM or Google, I try to tell them what manual to 
read or what Google keywords to use (although they rarely appreciate it).

-- 
Ron Lauzon - rlauzon at acm dot org
   Homepage: http://7lauzon.home.comcast.net/
   Weblog: http://ronsapartment.blogspot.com/

   DNRC: Lord of All Things That Are Fattening

   "To be sure, conservative radio talk show hosts have a built-in
   audience unavailable to liberals: People driving cars to some
   sort of job." - Ann Coulter

Microsoft Free since July 06, 2001
Running Mandriva Linux 2005LE