Re: [PLUG] Mail to welcome new PLUG subscribers

[Paul <paul@dpagin.net>]

Good idea, but it is such a long message that, honestly, I haven't read
through it completely yet.  I promised myself that I would go back to it
later.  Can it be shortened?


pinkee@cavegirl.org wrote:

> There is currently no mail that welcomes new subscribers and points the
> way to the ropes. I have composed the following and am submitting it,
> both to benefit newbies and for commentary on things that you feel should
> be changed.
>
> Hi,
>
> You have subscribed to the Philadelphia Linux User Group's discussion and
> help mailing list. We encourage you to look around a bit and get a feel
> for the group before you dive in with that barrage of new questions. The
> address to send list mail to is plug@lists.phillylinux.org, but before
> you post, read the helpful tips below.
>
> Some good resources are:
> http://www.google.com - Try reducing your question to the keywords and
> running it through here before posting. Google knows everything.
> http://phillylinux.org/faq.html - this is a must before posting!
> http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#AEN322
> http://www.linuxnewbie.org
> http://www.insert_the_name_of_your_distro_here.com
>
> IRC- There are a lot living breathing people hanging about on irc ready
> to help you, but all the same guidelines about asking useful questions
> still apply and remember to be friendly and polite. On openprojects.net,
> you will find #plug, #linux, #debian, #redhat etc. On efnet, dalnet and
> all the other options I am sure you will find similar options, but only
> openprojects has PLUG's channel.
>
> A lot of questions you have, others have had too, so perusing the archives
> is certainly a good idea. Searching the web for tips on your specific
> question is also a great way to get invaluable help in learning Linux
> for newbies and experienced users alike.
>
> One additional tip to getting the best responses to your question is to
> provide as much relevant detail as possible. For example: Why can't I
> connect to the internet with linux? will yeild a ton of questions or
> no response at all as compared to: I am using Redhat 7.1 and have a
> dsl connection through Verizon. They don't support Linux, and I am new
> to linux. I tried programs x, y and z, but I got these errors. Does
> anyone have any suggestions on what to try next? Even trying: I am
> having some issues with my dsl, can anyone point me to a good source of
> information? is better than a vague cry for help.
>
> The next thing you will see is 300 different ways to solve your
> problem. The first 250 won't work for you because they don't take into
> account for variables in your situation. The next 50 different answers
> will work. Picking the one that best fits your needs and skill level
> takes some research and trial and error.  Don't be distracted by any
> esoteric flame wars you might accidentally start between the different
> camps of zealots. It is all fun and learning, really.  Try coming to a
> meeting, even if you are sure nothing will make sense. You will learn,
> and you will get to talk to the mysterious people and find out that they
> did the same stupid thing you just did. Twice, even. :)
>
> The intention of this welcome is truly to welcome. Enjoy your stay on
> the list, and realize the learning curve will pay off, and there is a
> wide range of skill levels on the list, most people are friendly, few
> bite, and doing a little research and providing as much information as
> you can reasonably when asking questions will help everybody help you.
>
> Another thing you can do to reduce the workload of the dedicated list
> maintainers is to be sure to only post from an address you are subscribed
> from. All mail that comes from an unsubscribed address ends up in an
> admins mailbox for approval or rejection, this protects the list from
> SPAM while allowing appropriate community announcements through. Now
> you want to read at home only, but you have two or three addresses you
> will likely be posting from. You can subscribe all the addresses at
> http://phillylinux.org/mail/listinfo/plug and select no delivery for
> the addresses you don't want mail to come to. It is that easy and really
> reduces stress for the volunteers who keep the group moving.
>
> Unsubscribing from plug is easy, if you ever decide you want to. Go to
> http://phillylinux.org/mail/listinfo/plug and you can do it from there.
>
> Contributed by pinkee@cavegirl.org
> --
> www.cavegirl.org
> www.mydarlingchild.com
> "I can't remember everything.  There's too much stuff."
> mclazarus@aggressivelyuninterested.com
>
>   ------------------------------------------------------------
>    Part 1.2Type: application/pgp-signature


______________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group       -      http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements-http://lists.phillylinux.org/mail/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion  -  http://lists.phillylinux.org/mail/listinfo/plug