mhonarc-users

Re: NextPgLink Error

1999-07-15 15:44:06
On July 15, 1999 at 15:53, Jeff Hill wrote:

I didn't know about nesting. I did spend time scanning
the manual.
...

I believe it is not stated anywhere.  I should at least make note of it
in the RCFILE resource page of the docs.  There is definitely a need
for more resource file examples that orient around common tasks.  Also,
some more explanation on the relationships between resources and
resource variables would help.

(BTW, I do understand the reasoning why users have nested resource
 elements.  I never thought about it until someone tried to do it.)

I'm the first to admit that the docs are not conducive for many to find
solutions to their problems.  The FAQ is one attempt to remedy this.
The reference manual may document all the functionality of MHonArc, but
it may require the brute force approach to find a feature that solves a
problem.  Much of MHonArc's functionality is described only in the
various resource reference pages in the documentation.  If you have
time to kill, I encourage you, and others, to scan through the resource
reference pages.

...
(and look more diligently at the MHonArc archives).

The archives are a great resource.  I use them on occasion myself.
However, a reason someone cannot find an answer in the archives, even
though it may be there, is the following: the visible symptoms of the
problem do not necessary indicate what the source of the problem is.
Also, some problems can be hard to quantify into adequate search
words.


I am definitely aware that it is unavoidable to receive repeat
questions and problems.  It is sometimes non-obvious that a
question/problem has been answered/solved before since a questioners's
perspective may be different.  This is best illustrated by looking at
FAQs.  For example, sometimes questions arise on the mhonarc list that
are answered in the FAQ, but since the question's wording may not match
(fuzzily) to the questions listed in the FAQ, the person with the
question could not find the answer.

Note, there are cases when it is obvious that a person did not bother
to check available documentation (I know this is not the case here).
This can lead to bitter responses, especially in USENET forums.  I hope
the mhonarc list has maintained a level of civility, and when FAQ
questions comes up, subscribers give pointers to where the answers
are.  This has the side-effects of reminding users what other aides are
available and to make users more self-sufficient.

        --ewh

P.S.  I hope you do not mind I cc'ed my response to the list.  If I
feel my response to a message may benefit the list (or provide closure
to a thread) I cc the list.  I also check that the message has nothing
personal/private in it (or the personal stuff can be deleted).  If I
choose to cc the list, I normally mask out the identity of whom I'm
responding to unless the person has posted to the list before (so email
address privacy is not an issue).

If any user sends me a private message, and wants to avoid the
potential of me making the wrong judgement call on how I choose to
respond, please note in your message if you want any response to be
kept within private mail.

        --ewh

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