There is plenty of information about ftp, Internet, LISTSERV, rfcs, gopher,
wais,etc. on the Internet. One way to learn about it is to spent a lots of
nights and weekends stumbling around on the Internet. The information is there
for the taking; however, it is fragmented. (For example, a good gopher source
for information on how to use Internet, ftp, etc. is gopher.psg.com.)
I'm not a list owner. Why not? Because I don't know enough about the LISTSERV
process. That is why I subscribed to LSTOWN-L: to learn. I find it
incredulous that anybody would take on such a task as managing a LISTSERV
without first paying his or her dues -- learning the Internet and LISTSERV.
(Am I missing something here? Is there an easy way to learning this
stuff -- one without me having to waste my time doing homework?)
Richard
[log in to unmask]
******************************************************************
In message <[log in to unmask]> ListServ list owners writes:
> On Fri, 15 Jan 1993 07:38:00 EST Peter M. Weiss +1 814 863 1843 said:
>
> >Questions can be asked of people/lists, or of computer databases.
> >Listserv provides facilities for retrieving such.
>
> Yes, but one can only ask questions if one knows that there are questions
> to be asked. I think I can speak for most novices when I say that we
> don't know what questions to ask and even if we do know what to ask, we
> frequently lack the appropriate vocabulary. To me, computers are a second
> language and I am still learning the idiom.
>
> >Rule 1 for List Owners: see if the question (and answer) has been asked
> > before by searching / reading the notebook or FTP (if available)
> > archives.
>
> I am sure that this is fine advice - but how do you do it? This is the
> kind of instruction that frustrates a new user! (For example, why would a
> new Listowner necessarily know what FTP means, let alone how to do it?)
>
> >If you have never read the file LISTFAQ MEMO (available from a listserv
> >near you -- 128 lines), this is a must.
>
> Yes, but if this exists, how does a new Listowner know that it exists?
> And how does that novice listowner learn how to get the file (?) referred
> to here?
>
> > Do an INDEX LDBASE-L to the listserv@ukanvm
> > (@ukanvm.cc.ukans.edu)
>
> This is the kind of helpful hint that drives me crazy and totally
> intimidates me! I recognize the words as English, but when they are
> strung together in this way, I just don't understand a word...including
> the "do a..." part. How?
>
> >Rule 2: find out where other FAQs are stored for various topics. A good
> > place to start is ~ftp pit-manager.mit.edu cd pub/usenet
>
> With respect, this instruction is designed to render the poor ignorant
> new user/listowner into a quivering jelly of fear and frustration! What
> does it all mean?
>
> I appreciate Peter Weiss' attempts to elucidate things, but the fact is
> that it ends up being an example of what so many new users encounter -
> more confusion. The vocabulary used by computer people is often obscure;
> moreover, it frequently sounds the same as "normal" vocabulary, but with
> a different meaning. An example of this is the computer-related usage of
> the word "digest". Eventhe word "do" takes on new meanings!
>
> I am sure that it is very hard for knowledgeable people to talk about
> computer related matters in a simple way ...but is it really impossible?
> And if it is that impossible, what hope is there for the future, with new
> users (who seem tobe getting less and less local support) entering the
> fray every day? In this I speak not only of LISTSERV, but of all pc, LAN,
> and network activities.
>
> Even LSTOWN-L is extremely hard to understand very often, partly because
> many of the posts presuppose a level of knowledge that a new listowner
> might not have, and I certainly don't have.
>
> How a about a JUNIOR branch of LSTOWN-L for us? Just kidding........NOT!
>
> Peace, Anthea Tillyer ABTHC@CUNYVM City University of New York
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