[CentOS] OT: Top Posting

[Doug Tucker]

On Fri, 2008-05-16 at 02:06 +0100, Karanbir Singh wrote:
> Carol Anne Ogdin wrote:
> > Jumping in late here:  I sincerely wish that this list was maintained on any
> > of the quality "bulletin board" or "Forum" tools.  It would reduce my eMail
> > load, allow me to zoom in on just the issues of interest to me at the
> > moment, and I can eMail those posts to myself that are relevant to my own
> > needs for further editing and documentation.
> > 
> > I find the entire USENET and eMail list thing utterly antediluvian, and
> > wicked hard to use.  Often, I can only barely remember that *maybe*
> > something relevant was discussed months ago, but is now relevant to my
> > current issue today.  A "forum" is more practical as a tool for building a
> > collective knowledge of the CentOS community.  This eMail list just doesn't
> > cut it for a "knowledge base" built up of our collective experience.
> > 
> > Of course, for those of you who still prefer this medium, a "forum" can
> > eMail you posts, just like you see them today.  But people who would like to
> > search for a solution from a year or so ago could search the central
> > resource.
> 
> 
> Excuse me for being caustic, but you sound delusional. I'd guess you have heard 
> of this thing called 'search' ? it works best on text, that is context specific 
> and goes with you in the list archive.
> 
> Besides, Forums are a total and complete waste of time for me. I cant be asked 
> to go clicking around all over the place looking for posts here and there in 
> various websites and pages while on the other hand I can aggregate the list 
> feeds that interest me into a common resource that is available to me on th move 
> or whenever I might need.
> 
> And I know that this is the state of play with a large number of people who dont 
> have the time going out looking for things, but prefer letting info / content 
> come to them. Most forums are populated by drive-by posters, since they have a 
> lower barrier to entry and an ever lower barrier to exit. While is quite the 
> opposite to the lists. The info comes to you once you are subscribed, and an 
> easy search digs up relevant content when you need it.
> 
> One of the reasons I have such high regard for the few people who stick it out 
> in the CentOS Forums working and helping the people who come posting there is 
> because I know just how much work it is and just how much time is taken up by 
> it. I, for one, cant put in that effort.
> 
> Anyway, if you dont like the lists, you can unsubscribe from them ( subscription 
> info is included in the headers of each email sent form the list), and move to 
> the forums on www.centos.org. Why are you even here wasting your time ?
> 
> I'd give you 40 technical reasons why forums are not nearly as productive as 
> lists, but I cant be asked really.

Common thread to all of this, is that we are all individuals with
different work flows that work better for us.  What puzzles me, is why
people are so religiously fanatical and disrespectful of the views of
others, preferring to chastise and even go as far as you have here, to
call her view and choice to be here, regardless of her preference, as a
waste of her time.  We should all remember, that the very policies that
we have, came from the free flow exchange of ideas and beliefs, in a
respectful manner, that they are not written in stone, and absolutely
should be challenged continually, as the tools, technologies, and
environment changes, which is constant.  It is these free flow exchange
of beliefs and ideas, that will pave the way for us to the future.  You
don't have to agree with someone else, you are allowed to do and use
what works best for you, and to share with everyone your own beliefs
about such, but you do have to respect each others right to their
belief, and agree to disagree.  I think both of you are right on your
technology preference here, because you know what works for you most
efficiently.  There is no place for this belittlement and chastising,
and name calling for that matter (which happened to me on this subject),
amongst professionals.  That is all very childish IMHO.