not even a newbie

[Craig White]

On Sat, 2003-06-21 at 20:43, tickticker wrote:
> Craig,
> 
> I've been thinking on your response, and the instructor in me keeps saying 
> that it's important to teach this philosophy, not give clues to it.
> 
> Your reply below would have been the best reply possible.  Not the vague hints 
> to what he should have done.  So yes, your intentions were correct, your 
> presentation seemed lacking.  
> 
> I apologize for not thinking through my response to you, it should have been 
> what I wrote above.
> 
----
the arrogant person that I sometimes can be doesn't always provide ample
clarification for the point that I want to have made.

What I do know is this - and I think that the guy that started the
thread is probably where I was about 4 years ago (I'm estimating my
time). I started to read about this Linux thing...let me see, power of
UNIX on 80386 family hardware and open source, can be
router/firewall/daemon server/smb server etc. I need to know more.

But what I did was different...I bought a cheap used computer from
Renaissance computers, bought a book and learned the thing. I spent 3
months, wiped out my first setup and started over. I researched all my
questions before I posted them because I knew enough about computer
systems to know that the only meaningful way to learn a new OS was to
dive in and learn. All of the reading and spoonfeeding in the world
wasn't going to make me learn it - I had to do it for myself. I am not
the brightest person in the world so I still am learning so much about
Linux still.

I stumbled upon Eric Raymond's 'How to Ask Smart Questions' on another
message base where they will rudely let you know when you are out of
line. I much prefer sending messages of this type to newbies - not
because I enjoy being rude - but because the participants need to know
that this is open source and part of the contract is to at least make a
reasonable effort to do it on your own and posting up before you have
made the effort is not reasonable.

I took Alan to task for the very same thing - I regret that I was so
harsh and I meant no offense but it does seem to me that it is incumbent
upon a poster to at least...
when enquiring about software 'thingamabob'
go to www.thingamabob.com and www.thingamabob.org and read the first
page before asking everyone.

Again...it's the Eric Raymond's 'demonstrate that your not a lazy sponge
and wasting people's time'

As for the original questioner's line, I myself would have liked to have
heard a spirited discussion about open source tape backup programs as I
am about to tackle Amanda again (left me cold last time) and I really
want one with some type of end user GUI (web browser or webmin module)
interface but I haven't done my homework yet (note underhanded method of
trying to get others to do my homework for me)

;-)

Craig