On 10/20/05, Connor McDonald <mcdonald.connor@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I have no problem with pasting a link to the documentation as a response, > but I disagree vehemently with "RTFM" as a response > > "RTFM" has the subtext to the poster that they were either > > a) too lazy to look up the manuals > b) too stupid to look up the manuals > > independent of whether or not that was the intention of your "rtfm" > response. Its become far too emotive a term - the moment you see "RTFM" in > a thread, you rarely see any further sensible or technical discussion follow > it. > > Of course, maybe a poster IS a lazy sod, or has been swimming at the > shallow end of the gene pool - that still does not make it a responders > right to assert either. "RTFM" is a responders way of saying "I could > answer your question but I choose not to make the effort".... which is far > better handled by simply not replying at all. > > I'd hate to see Oracle-L degenerate into the farcical slanging match that > comp.databases.oracle.server has become.. Connor, People that post with some information worthy of a reproducible test case still attract some worthwhile replies on c.d.o.s. (provided that they do not top post, Hans will reply). I once spent 5 hours on a Sunday night assisting on a recovery with a sysadmin with little to no oracle experience. He got a complete recovery. A thank you was enough to make it worthwhile. c.d.o.s is not a lost cause. I will agree that a few posters dominate there that supply little or no useful information. A few posters (like yourself) keep the forum worth checking out. In general, if a poster gets one good reply out of ten that answers his/her question - isn't that good enough? If the poster dons the asbestos undergarments ahead of time ... no one gets hurt. If I didn't have mail filters in place on this mailing list, I would unsubscribe. The number of lazy-arsed posts here isn't exactly non-zero. Its large. One can reply with a "nice" phrase where one indicates the manual where the poster should consult the appropriate documentation. One can also take the direct approach where the clue-by-four is wielded. Either may be appropriate, depending upon the circumstances. As an author of a superb text, it seems to me that its your "job" to take the high road. As as bastard dba from hell, I do not feel that obligation. I reply to questions that I find "interesting". If I think that I have expertise to lend in a situation when I have some time, I'll do so. If the poster has done nothing, he/she can languish ... and learn. Thanks to Mark for providing the (ESR) Eric Raymond page regarding posting "good" questions. Paul > Connor McDonald > =========================== > email: connor_mcdonald@xxxxxxxxx > web: http://www.oracledba.co.uk > > "Semper in excremento, sole profundum qui variat" -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l