Mail Archives: djgpp/1998/02/19/06:45:18
Winter <dark_winter AT hotmail DOT com> wrote:
: Sorry to quote so much, but is seemed to cover the right topics. As a
: lnguistics major, I get to review many things relating to language. A
: fairly hot topic is the use of the internet as a communication device.
: (primarily the web, then usenet) Papers I have read present the theory
: that there is a high intimidation value to enter conversation for a newbie.
Hello, there.
Having come to Usenet only within the past two years, I would say that
this "factor" varies in intensity. It may depend on the specific problem
at hand, as well as on the nature of the newsgroup.
For example, when I first started using DJGPP, I felt a bit intimidated
about compiling GNU Emacs for DOS -- an issue which newbies likely would
not choose to face immediately now, since a compiled version is available
as part of DJGPP.
At that time, one very dedicated developer here suggested that it might be
curious for a newbie to feel intimidated, since configuring and compiling
Emacs required typing only two command lines.
In fact, I would now say that I can appreciate both viewpoints. To explain
why I felt a bit "intimidated" by the idea of actually _compiling Emacs_,
although in fact the statement about doing it with two command lines (plus
some preliminaries before entering those lines) was quite correct, why not
consider the "hurdles" from a newbie-eye view.
Again, I emphasize that today, GNU Emacs is available as a compiled
binary, so this is history for the sake of illustration:
(1) While I was used to downloading and handling PKZIP files, installing
GNU Emacs would at that time (mid-1996) involve getting a _10M_ file in
tar.gz format, a rather big leap from a DOS-oriented beginner's viewpoint.
Of course, in reality, djtar handled the job smoothly apart from a few
8x3 name duplications in files not even relevant to a DOS installation.
(2) At the time, after developing enough confidence (or curiosity) to
download the archive, I concluded that a short README.DOS file or the like
which I could read or downloaded to learn about what would be involved in
installing Emacs would have "broken the ice." As it was, a DJGPP
developer's reassurance that only two command lines would be required
served the same purpose, and today the compiled binaries as well as lots
of documentation within the DJGPP archives would respond to such a need
very well, I suspect.
(3) Having never compiled _anything_ to my best knowledge before getting
DJGPP, I was unfamiliar with the process, beyond compiling my own hello.c
types of programs. The idea of compiling something as big as Emacs seemed
rather overwhelming, although logically I knew that the compiler would do
the work. Maybe some reports of problems, which can happen with _any_
program, tempted me to reason, "If experienced users can have difficulties
compiling this very complex program, who am I to attempt it as a rank
newbie? Wouldn't that be almost looking for trouble, or creating needless
complications for people who might try to answer my questions?"
In overcoming such obstacles, conceptual or otherwise, mutual trust on all
sides can help a great deal. This means recognizing that a newbie may feel
intimidated by unfamiliar things which are really simple, and that
experienced users (or FAQ's and README.DOS docs, etc.) can do a great deal
to address these points of insecurity.
: Why? Because usenet (to the newbie) appears to be full of self rghteous
: bastards who enjoy answering people, but in a way that is rather rude.
: Though this may not be the fact, it is the perception. And before you
: defend your particular newsgroup, realize that that is irrelevant. Usenet
: is viewed as one big body.
As one fairly recent newbie, I would say that I took each newsgroup as its
own special case. One of the fun things was that although I was new to C
and UNIX (used on my ISP shell account) as well as to DJGPP, I could learn
some great items from the FAQ to answer common newbie questions. This was
maybe unfair "beginner's luck" <grin> -- for example, starting out with a
4-bute int and a protected mode compiler, I was a bit amused by the
questions about why assuming an int is 2 bytes might lead to unexpected
results in DJGPP.
My response was and is to explain quicly that DJGPP is indeed a 32-bit
compiler, and to reference the FAQ.
: as far as the comment that I assume that answering newbie questions annoys
: you, well, the comment that started some of this was someone commenting
: that they were getting sick of the nature of some of the questions.
Having seen these questions for far less time than many DJGPP regulars, I
can understand a certain feeling of, "Yet again...??," but in fact I would
agree with others that patience answers are the norm, and that at least
some of us wouldn't want it any other way -- although we might not object
to people reading the FAQ, either <grin>.
: Now, I'm wondering if I should even post this, 'cuz its likely a topic
: thats been beaten to death. Oh well :)
It's a topic that often comes up, and I see a spirit of mutual goodwill as
the best solution:
(1) DJGPP regulars should assume that newbies are trying their best to
understand the docs -- or to find them as suggested in the Mini-FAQ, etc.;
(2) DJGPP newbies should assume that regulars are seeking to be as helpful
as possible, with a pointer to the FAQ often the best as well as the most
efficient form of help.
: Be true
Let's be true to ourselves, each other, and the highest standards of
Usenet hospitality -- a nontrivial goal, but one maybe worth affirming.
Most respectfully,
Margo Schulter
mschulter AT value DOT net
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