[asterisk-users] RFC -- Improving the quality ofthe mailinglists

[Wilton Helm]

>4. Someone said "Maybe there needs to be a beginner list...". I agree 
>almost 100% with your oppinion but, we all know that the problem is not 
>(at least for  now, when there are lots of documentation topics to 
>write) newbies questions, but bad formulated questions and people not 
>wanting to help them self before asking other one's help.

While I understand that some might be lazy, I do think the documentation has an impact.  If I go to a web site that has a well organized FAQ or a good search capability, I will try to find an answer or some tests that will help me determine the answer.  However, Askerisk information is spread across so many domain names with absolutely no central organizational structure that I can determine, that I never know where to start.  I've done numerous Google searches and sometimes come up with pieces, but they aren't coherent and don't always even agree with each other.  The lack of organization and methods for getting to answers has been in my experience higher than just about any project I've ever worked with.  If the perceived changes of success form helping one's self is about 1%, many people will start by posting a question in the hope that someone who understands the confusion and/or has been over the same path will either provide an answer or at least point them in a useful direction.  I have found this list relatively good at that, but that is about the only thing that has been helpful to me so far.

Relative to previous comments on how to respond, the person who said, "if you know the answer, help, otherwise ignore it", gave good advise.  Some questions many can help with, others will require people with more expertise, who probably will let someone else tackle the easy ones.  The one addition I would make is that it is helpful to have a few people lurking who notice something that isn't getting answered and can suggest ways to submit it that are more likely to get help, such as including contents of a config file or something.

A corollary is that there are some people who just shouldn't help (or maybe even read these posts).  It takes a certain amount of patience and remembering when they were at that level.  They may be good at writing code or solving problems, but they may not be good at dealing with people, especially newcomers.  That isn't a criticism, just a reality check.

Wilton
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