Natalie is right on target, says me.  I find that some lists intended for
novices do tend to spread a lot of misinformation.  When soneone (not
a junior) tries to step in and correct things (usually for the seventh
time in a month), an assault of "impolite" and "arrogant" accusations
flood the list.  Experts sooner or later cannot resist sending "SIGNOFF"
to the LISTSERV hosting the list.
 
This list serves novices well (says me again).  Eric and others do not
allow misinformation to propagate.  When an answer has terms and groups
of letters that one does not understand, one just keeps lurking.  Things
get clearer and clearer over time.  But I always get the information
I need NOW as well plus a hint at what surrounds it.
 
(Says me still.)
If anyone has ever earned the right to retreat to an Ivory Tower and
stay there,  Eric Thomas has.  I have always been truly amazed that Eric
recognizes EVERYONE as a PEER citizen of planet Earth even at the first
point they touch a keyboard.  And when Eric answers a question, that
thing is ANSWERED.  PLEASE do not try to change Eric.
 
An impolite response would be four letters only.  RTFM.  Then I have to
crawl back with, "Could you, at least, tell me WHICH F***ing Manual to
Read."  The most INSULTing response would be the super-super-polite
one that ever so CAREFULLY gives me ONLY the answer to ONLY what I
asked with absolutely no information to build on to go further.  These
always leave me feeling that the person really feels that I am too
stupid to inhabit the same planet and is being very careful to avoid
real contact with me.
 
I have seen neither of the above on this list.  I apologize for being
unable to restrain myself from jumping in where too much has already been
said.   But some of you really did STOMP on a nerve this time.
I am a member of the category that feels stomped on.  But I am certainly
no LISTSERV expert; that is why I joined this list.  It has been a great
security blanket and I know quite a bit about running lists now with its
help.
 
On Sat, 16 Jan 1993 07:59:46 CST Natalie Maynor said:
>................................................  One danger of that would
>be that we juniors, the blind leading the blind, might spread misinformation.
>And we would have a hard time in some cases deciding the appropriate place
>for "intermediate" questions.  I'm not at all sure where the line should be
 ........
 
 Says me too X many, many.
>And thank you, John, for this list.
 .....
    --Joyce ([log in to unmask])
>   --Natalie ([log in to unmask])