Philip S Tellis [Sun Oct 28, 2001 at 03:03:28PM +0530]:
On Sun, 28 Oct 2001, Ravindra Jaju wrote:
Time for me to repeat what I'd asked for long time back! ;-)
Why not fork the list!? I really long for a techies-only list. Not that I won't subscribe to
To break my stand, I vote in favour of a fork.
This is long, you have been warned :-)
Okay, so the list forks, one for newbies and one more techie oriented. Can you really say this will be for the good of Linux in Mumbai, or elsewhere ? How does one define a newbie ? Someone who doesn't know he should RTFM ? Heck, do you realise, he may not know that TFM actually exists ? I did not know when I started using linux in the days when this list had just started up (that is circa when pcq gave out rh 5.2) and John Fernandes (Hi John you still around pal ?) actually walked me through the entire insatllation and setup *over the phone* one sunday afternoon. Later Satya was my telephonic benefactor.
So why relegate someone to an essentially second class list because he's a newbie ? What stops anyone from having a techie discussion on this list itself ? All you need is to put a say [tech] tag to the subject and use procmail to put all these in a seperate folder that you can read first and then if you want to, you could browse the rest of the list mails. The list forks and most people will only subscribe to one or the other. The chances of having a query answered on the newbie list will definitely dwindle. Then how do you propose stopping *newbies* from subscribing to the techie list and firing their queries there because they got no answer on the newbie list ? Unsub them for asking, or keep the techie list open only by invitation ?
Nobody stops you from a techie discussion on this very list, most newbies will probably not read the stuff at all, but you know, one or two might benefit from it and take it a little further. There hasn't been *any* technical discussion here anyway for quite some time since Philip sent in his write up on going around vsnl's idiotic *anti-spam* measures. And Philip seems mighty upset, he even forgot to change the subject line this time :) no offence meant but that's how it is.
The list has been maxing out at a couple of (or three) dozen posts per day give or take a few. So ignore the mails that don't interest you.
Sure, nothing stops you from just setting up a techie list, it's actually just a matter of a few mouse clicks at groups.yahoo.com and if you can tolerate the yahoo sig, it is free as in beer. Yes I know mouse clicks sounds like heresy in a mail about a linux *techie* list but the list I had to set up last fortnight was for a group of chaps whose average age is 60+ and all use windows, but with a little pushing I will get atleast a few of them to give linux a try. Then they can choose for themselves. But we digress from the discussion. Sorry. Just that I was in the Boy Scouts and we were expected to do one good deed a day; I enjoy using linux and I'd like to give something back even if it is only by convincing a few people to give it a try.
Not all computer users are tech savvy, so not all are bothered as to the nuances of the OS. If he can exchange his email, browse the net and maybe print out a letter or two, he is going to be satisfied. You cannot change this attitude. Not every car owner can repair his own car if it breaks down. That does not mean he can't drive a car or should not be issued a driving license.
The call for a techie list smells, at least to me, as being very elitist. I am sure I have stepped on a few toes so I think I'll leave off here with an apology to all such bearers of stepped-on toes; and besides you know, all of us doctors suffer from a God-complex, so there :)
regards,
Sharukh.
all follow-ups to the list. death threats to personal mail :-)