One more thing. If you know the answer is in the Guide, do a search on it,
and present the newbie with the appropriate link. It will not take more
than
one or two times for the newbie to realize they should check the guide first
for the answers. If not, lets face it, they will never get something as
powerful
and complex as mod perl working for them effectively and they need to use
a simpler solution.
thanks to Stas for the Guide.
cliff rayman
genwax.com
Stas Bekman wrote:
> Well, lately there was a lot of frustration expressed by some of the
> folks, and I could guess that there are many others feeling the same
> way but prefer to keep they thoughts for themselves.
>
> This post is an attempt to revive the spirit of our beloved
> mod_perl mailing list.
>
> It seems that the pandora box was opened by the "make test" issue, so
> here is my take on it:
>
> Well, it works for *most* of the people. For those that doesn't and
> who solves the problem we patch the sources and I update the guide to
> point to solutions. As a matter of fact I've patched another 'make
> test' problem a few weeks ago. I've discovered it while installing
> mod_perl, solved it and sent the patch. It might take awhile to find
> out what the problem is, but the real joy is when you solve it - try
> it once, it's hard at the beginning but it worth every
> second/hour/day/week you spent on it. That's the programmer's joy -
> welcome to the programmers world :)
>
> Regarding the policies. You are lucky as this list is pretty good
> relative to other I used to lark at and left. The rate of helping is
> much higher here relative to the rate of flames. As a matter of fact
> other folks and me, are trying to calm down the flamers in case the
> flames are irrelevant. You can read through the archives, if you want
> to the proof.
>
> Jeffrey is a good guy and he really helps and contributes a lot,
> don't forget that we are all volunteers and spend our precious time
> helping out people. We could make more money at the same time or just
> getting some sleep, instead of helping at all. The reason not all
> questions are being answered is either that we don't know or don't
> have the time. There is also a term of "sexy question", if your
> doesn't fall into that category you might be out of luck.
>
> You should understand that when you flame on people who contribute,
> the flamed people say "what the heck, I'm out of here". Oops you've
> just lost yet another contributor.
>
> As for unanswered question, Matt Sergeant starts to provide a
> commercial services, like support and training and more people will
> join later. If you don't have the time/knowledge to learn things on
> your own, please consider using his commercial support. If you came to
> me and said: "Stas I'll pay you so you will not have to work to feed
> your family, please asnwer to all my questions", I would probably do
> that. And many other too. Please remember that we do what we do,
> because we beleive in a good world...
>
> Now, I don't claim that I know the humans nature, but I think that
> many of you "silent" listeners should get out of your hiding places
> and start getting involved into a project's life. Don't be surprised
> if one day the number of answers to the questions will come to
> zero. You should try to asnwer, at the beginning the simple questions,
> later when you gain the confidence a more complicated ones.
>
> Please remember that no one, I stress NO ONE, will flame on your that
> you gave a wrong answer. Just claim that:
>
> I'm not sure whether I'm correct, but possibly this should solve
> your problem. You aren't in the court, you are in the place that
> alive only for a sole reason that someone have the guts to help.
>
> Why going far, take myself for example - look at the archives, 2 years
> ago I was asking stupid questions, with time I've learned a bit, but I
> was afraid to answer someones questions because I wasn't sure I was
> right. But later it hit me, I understood that because the gurus has to
> asnwer stupid questions they didn't make it to the real complicated
> ones.
>
> So I've decided: hey, if I try to take the load off the gurus they
> will ask more of my questions. And you know what, it worked I've tried
> to asnwer questions and do it more or less until today whether I know
> the asnwer or not. When I don't, at least I try to suggest something,
> many times the person that has asked the question finds the answer
> himself, all she needed is to be listened...
>
> BTW, that's how the guide was born (the 1 year anniversary
> celebrations will be announced in December :)
>
> To summarize my rumblings:
>
> * We are all volunteers - please remember that. If you want to get all
> the asnwers, you should consider paying for that.
>
> = Since we are volunteers we do that for fun, that's one of the
> reasons why some of the questions go unasnwered (the sexy syndrom)
>
> = The other reason, is that we don't always have time
>
> = The third reason, is that we cannot always reproduce the problems in
> question.
>
> * Don't forget that there is no free meal! Use the help you get on the
> list, but don't abuse it. But not abusing I mean:
>
> = Give back! Don't afraid to contribute and disregard the post of
> people who think too much about themselves. If you have a problem try
> to solve it first by yourself - once you solve it, you will feel very
> proud of yourself and hey, you have learned something! Don't forget to
> tell the list how did you make it.
>
> = Be gentle. Don't flame for nothing. Especially if your flaming
> target's intentions were good by her understanding, we are all
> different. Remember that everytime you flame for nothing a person
> might leave and yet another potential or real contributor might be
> lost for mod_perl community.
>
> * Initiate things. You think something is missing and good to have?
> Tell the rest, try to do it yourself and ask for help if you are
> stuck. Just think of how many sw goodies we could have if each of you
> could contribute just a little... you do the math. But what we have
> here is a few folks doing the best, but other just use it. which is ok
> with me, since I enjoy what I'm doing. But this is not ok with you,
> since you woe that this and that isn't working, this and that is
> missing.
>
> The last thing I want you to remember: Most of us should be very
> grateful of having a cool job around apache/modperl/perl and other
> gnu/free/OSS software. Remember who made and make it a reality! Not M$
> and not other money blown companies. Unless you want these companies
> to halt the movement you directly or indirectly benefit from, consider
> helping this movement. (This is a call for all the folks who are in a
> deep slumber and don't understand the real threats from M$ and friends
> we stand before!)
>
> Have a great time!
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
> Stas Bekman mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] www.singlesheaven.com/stas
> Perl,CGI,Apache,Linux,Web,Java,PC at www.singlesheaven.com/stas/TULARC
> www.apache.org & www.perl.com == www.modperl.com || perl.apache.org
> single o-> + single o-+ = singlesheaven http://www.singlesheaven.com
