Yes Gerhard, your absolutely right on this. I just helped a user (I beleive with more experience that I) getting his resolution to behave correctly with a simple addition to his XF86Config file (Option "IgnoreEDID" "1") and it did the trick. I always try to help out and find it very very gratifying that a newbie, such as myself, is able to help. I spend a fair amount of time watching this list, I ask questions, but also give answers (and avoid as much as possible giving bad answers). I find the mailing list is a valuable and excellent resource. The SuSE mailing list is by far the best I've found. I have not experienced any real derogatory remarks or comments from the Linux vets. As for the "what the experience user won't see", I understand this also. I'm in healthcare/medicine and if I or my colleques were to speak to the patients as we do with each other we would run the risk of A) driving people away from seeking health care until a crisis arises, and B) we also run the risk of confusing the patients - and this can have dire consequences that can hurt people (or worse in some case). I feel it is a responsibility that I contribute back to the community, especially considering how much the community contributes to me. Cheers. Curtis Rey On Monday 28 May 2001 11:49 am, Gerhard Sittig wrote:
[ since we're OT anyway, I don't mind too much jumping in :) ]
On Mon, May 28, 2001 at 00:18 -0500, Curtis Rey wrote:
I agree on the "lack of documentation" thing. I'm a newbie, using Linux since July of last year. I have come to the conclusion that the documentation for Linux, especially the newer stuff, has falling badly behind - if it existed in the first place. I feel lucky that SuSE has at supplied some of the best docs available ( and this mail list) that aren't necessarily written for people with Comp sci/engineering degrees. I check the LDP site and find that much of it is out of date by 2 or in some case 3 version. Much of it is of little use. If it's hard for an experienced or veteran user think about us poor dumb newbies. It can get awfully confusing.
You - and other newbies - can change this situation and have the next newbies suffer less.
As long as people ask their questions, have them answered and silently disappear (since _their_ problem has vanished), there won't be any valuable help for the next one to come across this problem. Those people have to ask again ...
Now imagine something like this: You're a newbie. You just solved a problem. Plus (very important!) you still are aware of what's a problem for a newbie _besides_ the technical stuff. That's something experienced users won't see -- not because they are cruel, but they are just blind on this very eye. :)
If a newbie would consider this situation a chance to contribute and provide his solution to other newbies - in a form that's of real help since it's not only about the tech stuff - things could and maybe would improve. But as long as you expect "the others" to tell you what to do - while they don't have too much time or a different POV too far away to help you - you have to wait and still don't get something that fits your expectation.
Yes, we had these threads many, many, many times before. And no, it's not a flame against newbies. But I want to make them aware of the fact that crying "tell me, please, since you're the author and must instruct me" won't work. Only newbies themselves are able to provide the doc other newbies would need efficiently! Help yourself and others by contributing and not just consuming!
virtually yours 82D1 9B9C 01DC 4FB4 D7B4 61BE 3F49 4F77 72DE DA76 Gerhard Sittig true | mail -s "get gpg key" Gerhard.Sittig@gmx.net