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.