Re: FYI: HTML targets in "Smart Questions"

[Dario Alcocer <alcocer@helixdigital.com>]

On Sun, Jul 21, 2002 at 10:03:57PM -0400, Jim Balcom wrote:
> On Sun, 21 Jul 2002, Dario Alcocer wrote:
> 
> DA>>The idea is not split the list, but for initial posters (from what
> DA>>I've seen on this list, most first-time posters qualify as newbies)
> DA>>to get a quick lesson in posting meaningful questions *before* they
> DA>>get to post (only for the first post.)  That's why I suggested the
> DA>>poster, before they're allowed to post for the first time, get an
> DA>>e-mail asking them (in a cordial tone, obviously) that they *please*
> DA>>read the ESR essay *first*[1].
> 
> I find your assumption that all first time posters are newbies and need to
> be trained offensive.

Please read *carefully* what I wrote: I said "MOST first-time
posters", which obviously doesn't mean the same thing as "ALL first
time posters" (what you wrote, my emphasis.)  Of course I've
generalized, but in this particular case, the generalization will
do little harm [1].

> The fact that newbies questions get ignored is upsetting.

No, you didn't bother to *carefully* read what I wrote.  (Please
take the time now to read what I wrote again...  I'll wait...  Done?
OK, let's continue...)

Again, what I said is that a first-time poster would have to read
ESRs essay first; once they *read* the essay, they would be *allowed*
to post their question.  The idea is that they will hopefully make
sure their question were properly *researched* and *formulated* to
increase the chances of it getting answered.

As should be obvious from actually reading what I wrote, I'm not
advocating ignoring newbies, just educating them.

== Footnotes ==

[1] - The worst this generalization would lead to with respect to
my proposed "pseudo moderation" solution is force non-newbie
first-time posters to receive a single message with a link to ESRs
essay.  I *doubt* many non-newbie first-time posters would take
umbrage.

-- 
Dario Alcocer -- Sr. Software Developer, Helix Digital Inc.
alcocer@helixdigital.com -- http://www.helixdigital.com

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