Re: when replying, use envelope recipient
=- Derek Martin wrote on Mon 18.Dec'06 at 22:41:35 -0500 -=
> > > If not I can figure it out but asking is probably faster.
> > You should do the other way:
> > 1) RTFM
> > 2) SEARCH INTERNET
> > 3) ASK!!!
>
> RTFM is a good answer for sysadmins and programmers, but really
> isn't a good answer for typical users. The problem is this:
> - Mutt is extremely powerful, and thus extremely complicated
> - Users may be various degrees of technical or non-technical {...}
> - Probably about 50% of what Mutt can do is only explained, in
> somewhat terse language, in the reference section of the manual.{...}
Docs: an ever recurring topic, and as before, I agree.
Still it needs more weight of importance in terms of support to
catch up with the code.
Until the packaged manual is fixed, use/ edit the guide on the wiki.
BTW: FooMan, thanks for your support! :)
> - The manual is 133 pages long {...}
> - The manual does not have a good index for finding the answers to
> "how do I do X" kinds of questions (a table of contents is not
> the same as an index, and can not very well function like one).
If you remember my project: some name changes could help, not as
ultimate solution, but as pointer to the right direction.
Uhm, I see list of variables 2(!) times in my manual, is this
really needed? Could save a few pages to drop 1 list.
> - If you generally know how to use Mutt, but have one simple "How do
> I do X" question, it is extremely inefficient to read all 133
> pages of the manual to find what you're looking for, and even if
> you do, you might miss it, or not realize that the item you're
> looking at is the one you want, for various reasons.
This is what the (wiki-)FAQ is for!
> It is totally non-productive for a user who mostly knows how to
> use Mutt to spend hours reading through the whole manual, then
> more hours searching the web, only to have to rely on the
> mailing list to get an answer to their question...
With better varnames, complete wiki guide + faq, this would be
less of a problem.
> Asking the question on the mailing list first will usually get
> them an answer in 5 minutes, and hurts no one...
... except those who remember each and every repeated FAQ, and
then feel bad because either repeating the same answers (which
could be found on OP's own) or not answering at all. ;)
Granted, that's more a recipient's than a sender's problem. ;)
Or rather, a communication problem to inform newbies how to help
themselves first! *working on new welcome msg for subscribers*
> But really, unless you are willing to take the time to write out
> all the needed sections of the manual to explain how to do all
> the things that people can do / want to do with mutt in detail,
> in easy-to-search, well indexed sections (or unless the question
> really is one of the obvious / easy-to-search ones which is
> covered in a great deal of detail), then really, I think an
> answer of RTFM is inappropriate on this list.
*waiting to work on it*
> Not everyone wants to be an expert on everything Mutt does, and
> no one should have to if they don't want/need to; but they still
> have the right to have their questions answered by people who
> are willing to do it.
*sigh*, true, I had to change my mind in this regard.
=- Damnshock wrote on Tue 19.Dec'06 at 9:20:14 +0100 -=
> I agree with you but my answer was a bit upset because, if you
> read Travis's first mail, you'll notice that he seems to not
> have made ANY search about his question. If every little
> "question" we want to get answered is to be asked here, we would
> have such a BIG list... noone could even read all the mails in
> it. THAT was the point of my reply, just to mark that before
> asking you can make a bit of search.
Let's make this a little better.
I'll setup a new welcome message, and we all don't just answer
here, but gather it all on the FAQ and point people to use that.
--
© Rado S. -- You must provide YOUR effort for your goal!
Even if it seems insignificant, in fact EVERY effort counts
for a shared task, at least to show your deserving attitude.