[asterisk-users] RFC -- Improving the quality of the mailing lists

[Steve Edwards]

The -user and -dev mailing lists are a valuable resource -- when they are 
not cluttered by posts unrelated to the "charter" of the lists.

In my limited memory, this last weekend represents a new low in the 
"relevant subject to noise ratio."

Replying to requests with meaningless, misleading, or misspelled subject 
lines ("I need help," "asterisk help," "Ntework Card") encourage careless 
posting and obfuscate useful replies from search engines.

Also, while replying to such requests may seem helpful, some of the 
requests indicate such a lack of basic understanding that giving the 
answer is like giving a small child a very sharp knife when they ask for a 
slice of bread.

For example: "How do I delete these files that end in that squiggly thing 
in my current directory and all directories below?"

Since most of these users are probably running as root, a simple "extra 
space here and a missed character there" ("rm --force --recursive /* ~" vs 
"rm --force --recursive ./*~" can have catastrophic consequences.

In an attempt to improve the quality of the lists, I propose the 
following: For a user's first 10 posts, they will receive a reply with a 
link to a web page and have to answer the following questions:

0) I acknowledge that I am asking for free help and I acknowledge that 
following the conventions below increase my chances of engaging another 
list member with relevant expertise and resolving my request.

1) I am posting a new request.

a) My request cannot be answered on a more general list such as Beginning 
Unix, or on a distribution specific list.

b) My request cannot be answered on a more specific list such as an 
AsteriskNow or Trixbox list.

c) I have attempted to search for an answer using a search engine such as 
Google.

d) I know what "thread hijacking" is and I created this request from 
scratch.

e) I have created a meaningful subject line that indicates with as much 
specificity as reasonable which part of Asterisk I need help with and why.

f) I am not posting a self-serving message directing someone to my product 
that would be better posted to the -biz list.

g) I am not posting in HTML.

h) I am posting in English.

i) I am fluent in English or I have attempted to have someone who is 
review my request.

j) I have run my request through my spell checking resources.

or

2) I am posting a reply to a post.

a) I know what "top posting" is and I am not ignoring the "convention" of 
the list.

b) I am not posting a self-serving message directing someone to my product 
that would be better posted to the -biz list or only to the requester.

c) I am not posting in HTML.

d) I am posting in English.

e) I am fluent in English or I have attempted to have someone who is 
review my post.

f) I have trimmed the previous post down to just the point(s) I am 
replying to.

g) I have run my request through my spell checking resources.

For -dev, the following questions would be added:

) My post directly relates to changes in the Asterisk C source code.

) I am not reporting a bug or a posting a patch that should be directed to 
bugs.digium.com.

Included in the web page would be the original message with the ability to 
change the list the message is to be posted to, the subject line, and the 
body of the message.

Comments?

Thanks in advance,
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Edwards      sedwards at sedwards.com      Voice: +1-760-468-3867 PST
Newline                                             Fax: +1-760-731-3000