hi geoff
maybe one should answer these obvious/repeated questions by directing the person to the correct place in the wiki or to a previous thread in the mailing list. this makes it easier to the answering people, but also to the asking people because the wiki or a mailing list thread most probably will contain more info, since the question has been either debated on the list - or even compiled into documentation in the wiki. of cause you could ask why people dont search the wiki and the mailing list on their own accord before asking the mailing list, but in my experience there are many reasons for that - and not just because people are lazy. in many cases the question needs to be put in the right words, or the person needs to be herded in the right direction. also documentation is not something that anybody just reads and understand - it takes practice (i still have trouble with GNU man pages!!! ggrrr :oP). when lyx one day gets critical mass (hopefully soon), a discussion channel on IRC would also be very helpful. unfortunately, #lyx on freenode is very much a sleeping channel ... finally i seize the opportunity to emphasize that the lyx-users mailing list is extremely useful and friendly. i hope it will continue so! i really loathe lists where one gets RTFM shoved in the face! martin On 26/08/05, Geoffrey Lloyd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi > > It is becoming apparent that many questions on this list are being > repeated and some are quite sraightforward for want of a better phrase. > > Could I suggest that before a question is posted the following things are > done > > 1) Read the wiki > 2) Search the mailing list archives > 3) Try google to see if there is already an answer on the web > > Also I recommend every user to get a good handbook on Latex as most > queries are more Tex than Lyx. > > Please don't get me wrong, I am not forgetting what it was like to be > puzzled by Lyx/Latex, and I am as guilty as the next man when it comes to > asking 'obvious' questions. > > All I am saying is that in my experience I have learnt more by playing > about and finding the answer by research, and using the list as a last > resort. Mainly as it opens upo things I never knew about extending my > perception of Latex's power. > > However if you do have questions post away as I am happy to help out as > best I can (as many people may already be aware) as are others on the > list with vastly better knowledge than me. And sometimes when the > thesis deadline is looming spending hours trying to find out how to move a > title or include a footnote is not condusive to the stress levels and > the list is a useful 'quick fix' source!!! > > I hope this is read in the manner intended. > > Geoff > >
