RE: cygwin and GPL (again)

["Dennis McCunney" <mccunney@bellatlantic.net>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cygwin-owner@sources.redhat.com
> [ mailto:cygwin-owner@sources.redhat.com]On Behalf Of
> Christopher Faylor
> Sent: 2001. February 15. 0:00
> To: cygwin@cygwin.com
> Subject: Re: cygwin and GPL (again)
>
> >> I suppose so.  I have reached a bemused/depressed state where
> >> I really can't believe that this kind of thing is really necessary
> >> but it probably is.
> >
> >It's inevitable, really: as Cygwin grows more popular, more folks who
> >_aren't_ developers already familiar with *nix will grab it, and ask
> >*nix/programming newbie questions about it.
>
> Oh yes, don't get me wrong.  I've been involved in Usenet for 17 years
> or so, so I know how the games goes.  I still find it depressing that
> the modus operandi for so very many people is to start firing
> away with questions before taking stock of things.

I've seen it in various forums for that long.  One message area I was active
in at one point had a one page mini-rules message that was posted _every
day_, with the basic info on what the area was about, who the contacts were,
and what was on-topic for the area. It _did_ help.

I've answered a few of the "new to Cygwin" questions privately as soon as I
saw them, simply to cut down on some of the clutter.

> The problem is that this mailing list is becoming increasingly less
> interesting to me personally.  It was actually stimulating to see people
> discussing how to speed up stat().  However, those kind of discussions
> are drowned out by "My ssh doesn't work! I tried everything! Help!"
> messages and this is not going to ever improve here.  Ever.

Nope, but if a canned response can be developed that can be posted as
boiler-plate whenever such a question arises, it might mean less wear and
tear on those trying to assist.

Another that bemuses me is the apparent fog that descends, where people
forget that private email still exists.  This especially seems to happen
when someone takes personal exception to someone else's statements on a
list, and just has to make a _public_ fuss.  I always thought that's what
email was for...

> >Making as clear as possible as early as possible that this ain't the
> >place to ask 'em can't hurt.  Cygwin is for developers who need to port
> >from *nix to NT, and want the familiar tools and a POSIX layer to make
> >it easier.  It implicitly assumes you know various things.  If you
> >don't, you'll get real confused, real fast.  This needs to be stated up
> >front.
>
> Yeah, but pessimistically speaking, I'll bet that it will have only a
> minor effect.  The problem is that people don't care to read what is in
> front of them until they have a problem.  By the time they have a
> problem, the welcome message will be in the trash can.

The technology to digitize a two by four to whack 'em with does not yet
exist, alas...

> But, if a change to the welome message helps even a few people, it
> is worth it.

We can but try.

> >> If someone wants to contribute some words, I'll add them.
> >
> >I seem to be on a roll with this, so I'll do it.  Can you
> email me what the listbot currently sends?  It's been some time since _I_
> subscribed, and I don't think I still have the welcome message.
>
> Here it is (not to wordy, is it?):

Nope.  Very minimalist.  I'll try to get you some revisions soon.  That may
not be till Tuesday, since I'm taking a long weekend, but I ought to have it
by then.

> cgf
______
Dennis


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