andrew@relay.eu.net (01/16/90)
I am new to UNIX and to this mail group and thus surprised that this makes me qualified to contribute to the debate on something! (most of the stuff is foreign language to me, but that is part of the learning process). On the question of the frequency of FAQ posting, my view is: keep the FAQ posting to once a month or so, but post a list of the questions that are answered in FAQ every week. That might cut down on neophyte questions. It would also be helpful if the FAQ, perhaps, even, an expanded version, was available from an easy mail access point. Here, in England, we have a software system called "info-server" that allows you to send a mail msg to a system and it will mail you back what you ask for. Comp.sources is stored here using this technique. You must bear in mind the psychology at work; we are all very keen to use something new as soon as we have mastered the rudiments of making it work. You were all once at the stage I am now; remember how keen you were. They want to try it *now*, not next week, or when the next FAQ comes round (and which they won't know about anyway, because they won't have seen one). Two final suggestions: the comment about automatically mailing out FAQ to new group subscribers is a good idea, perhaps along with some "network etiquette". Alternatively, local sysops could give new users on systems a printout of FAQ. Lastly, a plea: this distribution is read world-wide; could those of you in the US please bear this in mind when using US-specific abbreviations and brand names. Even the two letter state codes may be impenetrable to overseas readers. Remember also that there must be a great many other readers who, like me, know far too little about UNIX yet to contribute but who read the net chatter to learn. Regards Andrew Hardie ..!ukc!cctal!andrew London, England.