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Re: [LUG] Are we too technical for our own good ?

 

Simon Waters wrote:

>I think the issue is also did your mother have any problems, did she ask
>any questions, and did she understand the answers to her problems? Was
>it easier for her just to get Tom to fix it? Most people don't want to
>know how their computer works, beyond what is necessary to do their
>immediate tasks, and they might pop in for help, but they won't hang
>around longer than it takes to get an answer, and find the unsubscribe
>details.
>
>  
>
Did my mother have a  problem ? ... Not as such ... but I think her 
point was that the "noise" to "signal" ratio was very high. That is to 
say for people who just want to ask questions and get answers there can 
be a lot of work filtering sifting and so on. Yes I appreciate there are 
techniques for this, but if your a "newbie" (I hate that term so why do 
I use it ?) this can be very daunting.

Would she give GNU/Linux a fair chance ? - most definitely - shes not 
the sort that gives up easily......
Would she be apprehensive about posting questions and getting a 
technical answer beyond her understanding ? Well yes thats the nail 
being hit on the head .......

For the most part when I have seen questions posted on DCGLUG most 
people have been helpful and gracious, and have not resorted to "RTFM"  
rants.....  but it has  happen from time to time here and can be off 
putting (even to seasoned users such as myself) , and lets be honest 
some  people just can't pick up a  manual and digest it in the way that 
other members of this group can with apparent ease.

I know that a lot of people on this group will be appalled that I am 
going to suggest this, and I have mixed feelings about it myself, but I 
would suggest that we have a questions & answers ONLY email address that 
people can subscribe to separately and know that at least if a post is 
not answering their question it is answering someone else's, or a 
question from a fellow user trying to get to grips with some facet of 
GNU/Linux. A higher question / answer ratio for new users is much more 
reassuring, and shows a willingness to help and tolerance towards those 
that just don't know where to go, or how to start . While those that 
don't want to be bothered with answering what they see as "silly 
questions" from new users need not subscribe and can continue their 
debates / rants  / MS bashing / pontificating  and general e-socializing 
on the existing address.

I'm sure there are many gems of  GNU/Linux wisdom to be found in this 
lists archive, but again sniffing them out from the archive takes time, 
a more concentrated Q&A mail group might at least speed up the filtering 
process.

Apologies if this starts some sort of flame, thats not the intention,  
its really just an exercise in finding out what people think and if 
there are other ways we can help each other and particularly new members 
of the community.

Tom.


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