graham@DRCVAX.ARPA (07/24/87)
> "...Those of us who have been running VMS systems for a while > usually try to consult the documentation before yelling > "SYS$ANNOUNCE logical name bug" or running to the net showing our > stupidity. Then when we do find a legitimate problem unless it > has a great impact on other systems we simply and quietly fill out > an SPR instead of trying to show everyone how cute and clever we > are." Excuse me, but it is not stupid to ask a simple question. VMS is a large anf complex product. It has a *LARGE* documentation set. There is no such thing as a stupid VAX question. It is true that many simple questions elicit a score of nearly identical responses, but my mailer has a delete key, and so does yours. > "QUIT USING THE NETWORK AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR READING THE > DOCUMENTATION SET." As I said, the doc set is vast. It is easy (especially for a neophyte) to miss something, no matter how obvious it is to a seasoned person. Info-vax should be a place where all can ask and answer without fear of getting barbs like this. > nor do I want to see the time of day in 47 thousand different > languages. If you have so much time on you hands. Try the orange > binders!..." Since this was placed on a public net, I shall comment publically: Personal attacks do not have any place on this net, send them directly to the person with whom you are upset. If Info-vax is not the place to ask "stupid" questions and offer "trivial" programs, than there is something wrong. To some people, those simple questions are not stupid, they're important. And to some of us, the absurd little programs like telling the time in 152 languages are a pleasant diversion from the normal crap we put up with from our users and bosses every day. There are many new VMS system managers and programmers on this net who would be afraid to ever ask anything after reading the above referred material. This should not be so. If we more experienced can't offer assistance to those less so, than this net is a waste of time. Whew! I feel better now. Hackito, ergo sum. Dan Graham, Dynamics Research Corporation, (617) 475-9090 Ext. 2352 GRAHAM@DRCVAX.ARPA Hoc est meum hackum. Ideas and opinions are mine, not my employers. In fact, my employer barely claims to know me at all. I make no claim to sanity in any form or on any level. ------
dfile@ecsvax.UUCP (Dean File) (07/24/87)
In article <8707241511.AA19765@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, graham@DRCVAX.ARPA writes: > > "...Those of us who have been running VMS systems for a while > > usually try to consult the documentation before yelling > > "SYS$ANNOUNCE logical name bug" or running to the net showing our > > stupidity. Then when we do find a legitimate problem unless it > > has a great impact on other systems we simply and quietly fill out > > an SPR instead of trying to show everyone how cute and clever we > > are." > > Excuse me, but it is not stupid to ask a simple question. VMS is a large > anf complex product. It has a *LARGE* documentation set. There is no such > thing as a stupid VAX question. The other side of this is that the MicroVMS documentation set is too small, the standard set that is. Perhaps there should be a comp.os.uvms group. Still, I agree with graham. Sometimes the solution is in the doc set, but is apparent only if you've been a DEC guru for ten years. It's very nice to have recourse to a group of DEC gurus who aren't going to flame you for not being one. > Whew! I feel better now. Whew! So do I. (The above opinions are personal and do not reflect the position of my employer.) Dean File