debian-user is a mailing list provided for support for Debian users, and to facilitate discussion on relevant topics.
Some guidelines which may help explain how the list works: * The language on this mailing list is English. There may be other mailing lists that are language-specific for example debian-user-french * It is common for users to be redirected here from other lists - for example, from debian-project. It is also common for people to be posting here when English is not their primary language. Please be considerate. * The list is a Debian communication forum. As such, it is subject to both the Debian mailing list Code of Conduct and the main Debian Code of Conduct https://www.debian.org/MailingLists/#codeofconduct https://www.debian.org/code_of_conduct * This is a fairly busy mailing list and you may have to wait for an answer - please be patient. Please post answers back to the list so others can benefit; private conversations don't benefit people who may be following along on the list or reading the archives later. * Help and advice on this list is provided by volunteers in their own time. It is common for there to be different opinions or answers provided. * Please try to stay on topic. Arguments for the sake of it are not welcome here. Partisan political / religious / cultural arguments do not belong here either. Debian's community is world wide; don't assume others will agree with your views or need to read them on a Debian list. * There is an FAQ on the Debian wiki derived from some questions asked on this list at https://wiki.debian.org/FAQsFromDebianUser * How to ask questions and read replies. 1. PLEASE Use a subject line that means something - "I need help" is probably not useful. "I'm having problems with the Debian 10.10 amd64 DVD image" or similar is better - something that sets out one problem / a single issue. 2. Try and write down what steps you have taken / where you have found information. Show what you have actually done as much as what you think you have done. If it helps, write down things you do / commands you run as you do them. 3. People may ask you to run commands to establish what is happening / what hardware you have. Provide the output if you can: if you can't provide the output - show what commands you ran and what output (if any) was the result. Likewise with logs. It may be appropriate to ask what extra information is needed / may help others solve the problem and then to try to give the extra information requested.. 4. The mailing list threads replies. Don't break the thread / raise other issues needlessly . It is as easy to begin a spearate email - one per issue. 5. If several people ask similar questions, it may be possible to summarise lots of information in one post. 6. Give as much useful information as you can. If you are unsure, it is fine to ask what other information might be necessary. We cannot all read minds: we need some clues. 7. If all other things don't work: stop, write down one thing you want to make clearer and make that clear. Slow down and think - sometimes a deliberate approach is necessary. 8. If the problem has produced a long thread it is very useful to provide a subject title periodically with [SUMMARY] or [SOLVED] outlining how the problem was eventually solved or showing what issues remain outstanding. * Unfortunately, the people on the Debian mailing lists / IRC channels cannot give good advice for every Debian-derived distribution. Each distribution changes different things and we will not have all the answers. Debian derived distributions are off topic in debian-user. Each one should have its own support channels and processes to raise issues. Debian is not normally the place though if you can reproduce the problem in Debian we will be better able to help. * One question that comes up on almost all Debian lists from time to time is of the form: "I have done something wrong / included personal details in an email. Could you please delete my name / details / remove the mail" Practically, this is impossible: the mailing lists are archived, potentially cached by Google and so on. Unfortunately, there is nothing much we can do to ensure that all copies anywhere on the Internet are deleted. Asking to do this may only serve to draw further attention - the so-called "Streisand effect" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect Spam and unsolicited commercial email that doesn't belong on the list ===================================================================== Debian does have comparatively strong spam filters on the mailing lists: listmasters will remove emails that are reported as spam. The easiest way to report spam is by using the web interface to Debian mailing lists below https://lists.debian.org If you quote spam email in a reply, you may end up making the spam filters less effective. If you respond to it on list, then it becomes part of the list conversations forever. Replying to it with angry messages won't get back to the originators and does not help the ongoing fight against spam. See also: https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/ListMaster/ListArchiveSpam Problems? ========= Complaints about inappropriate behaviour should be referred to the Debian Community Team <commun...@debian.org>. Inappropriate behaviour on the list may lead to warnings; repeated bad behaviour may lead to temporary or permanent bans for offenders.
