Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!gatech!mcnc!decvax!zinn!ubbs-nh!noel
From: noel@ubbs-nh.MV.COM (N. Del More)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions
Subject: Re: Telling people to Read The F Manual (Was: Kill files)
Message-ID: <130@ubbs-nh.MV.COM>
Date: 22 Sep 89 17:30:15 GMT
References: <14695@bfmny0.UU.NET>
Reply-To: noel@ubbs-nh.MV.COM (N. Del More)
Organization: uBBS-NH (New England Unix Archive) - Nashua, NH
Lines: 85
In article <14695@bfmny0.UU.NET> tneff@bfmny0.UU.NET (Tom Neff) writes:
> Readers should take no offense at 'RTFM' answers here, because
> one of the most IMPORTANT lessons for new Usenet users is in fact
> to consult all available offline documentation first, BEFORE posting
I'd like to take this opportunity to add my $.02 concerning the
continuing RTFM battle.
1. It takes up as much if not more bandwidth to follow-up on a users
request for information only to tell him to RTFM.
2. Often, the subject in question is not only of immediate concern
to the original poster, but of concern and/or interest to other
readers as well. Additionally, the poster may have ALREADY RTFM,
but may instead be posting in order to clarify his/her
understanding of the subject.
3. Telling someone to RTFM does nothing to satisfy his or her need
for information, nor does it contribute to the knowledge or under-
standing of other readers.
4. Increasingly, users of *nix systems are unfamiliar and/or
inexperienced with the Operating System. Additionally, it is
also increasingly common that these users are using a system
which is based upon microcomputer technology, and as such these
sites may not have access to a System Administrator who is as
thoroughly familiar with *nix as that found in larger/corporate
sites.
5. The FM ( F****** Manual) may not be available for immediate
reference. Additionally, the man pages are not routinely bundled
with all flavors of *nix.
6. The FM's tend to be written by technically oriented individuals and
are in many cases difficult to understand, especially for the
newer users and/or non-professional administrators who have not
been long exposed to *nix.
The point that I'm trying to make is this, it is far more useful to
provide a brief, and comprehendable description or remedy to the
question poised, and to specifically refer the individual to manual page
in question for additional information.
For example:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The kill file is a function of the "rn" program and may be used to
eliminate the need to read undesired postings. Its syntax is basically:
//
for example, to junk all articles in the "control" newsgroup having as
the subject line "Cancel" the following entry would be added to the
$HOME/News/control/KILL file:
/Cancel/j
further information concerning kill files and other "rn" commands may be
found in the rn.1 manual page.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This not only provides the originator of the query with the basic
information he/she is seeking but additionally, it provides him/her with
the source of further information.
Finally, the above example is useful in educating other interested
readers, who may or may not even be aware that such a function exists,
and which they themselves may find useful.
In summary, the RTFM comments often posted do nothing to promote the
further understanding of the *nix operating system. As most of us are
aware, the learning curve is steep and apparently, to me at least,
unending. Not a week goes by where I do not find myself lacking, in
some way, the information I need to complete a particular task. Without
the benefit of many helpful and understanding members of the USENET
community I would be considerably less knowledgeable than I am today.
Share the knowledge!
Noel
P.S. In case anyone is interested, I only recently found myself in need
of a kill file, and after a quick scan of the FM inplimented it. But I
must add that having read previous articles concerning kill files I was,
fortunately, aware of the function and, essentially, its syntax.