[Asterisk-Users] list proposal

[Andy Hester]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: asterisk-users-admin at lists.digium.com
> [mailto:asterisk-users-admin at lists.digium.com]On Behalf Of Steven
> Critchfield
> Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2003 10:31 PM
> To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
> Subject: RE: [Asterisk-Users] list proposal
>
>
> On Sun, 2003-08-10 at 21:25, Andy Hester wrote:
> > Perhaps there is another way to cut down on increased traffic...
> >
> > Specifically, I would go back to the suggestion of a
> collaborative website
> > for documentation.  Collecting info and organizing into Howto's
> would reduce
> > the number of times people ask the same questions.  Also, the
> documentation
> > could grow as quickly as the project.  Unfortunately, I don't
> have a place
> > to host it currently.  Ideally, the list would just be for issues that
> > aren't already addressed.  Any one else interested in this?
>
> While it still needs to be done, the majority of those type questions
> will still happen as the newest users still don't use google until told
> to do so.

There will always be some of this, and I agree that most people won't search
for an answer if they can have someone else hand it to them.  However, the
idea is to make it such that they don't have to search for the answer among
thousands of other posts, but rather just read the instructions.  And like
you said, it needs to be done anyway, so why not try to make the
documentation as complete as possible and maybe post a large warning, don't
ask questions of the list if you haven't read the documentation!  And place
this documentation or a link to it before the info on how to sign up for the
mailing lists.  I imagine many new comers never even see the google search
box down the page.

	It doesn't really bother me that much when those questions are posted mind
you, but I just think it is a really bad idea to use a mailing list as the
repository for documentation.  I know that documentation exists, but it is
so incomplete that someone is always telling documentation seekers to
"search the list".  We should try to move the documentation away from the
list and into a seperate place.  As new or unaswered questions come up, the
documentation can be easily updated if it is collaborative.

	Anyway, I don't mind splitting the lists as I will just subscribe to those
as well.  It might work out well as I had also suggested that the
documentation be split out by technology also.

Sincerely,
Andy Hester
Consero