free support and gratitude (was: Re: -RO causes an error)

[Bob Stockler]

Bill Campbell wrote (on Fri, Jun 03, 2005 at 04:21:32PM -0700):

| On Fri, Jun 03, 2005, Fairlight wrote:
| >With neither thought nor caution, Laura Brody blurted:
| ...
| >
| >"I don't mind you being on the cuff, Dix, but you're halfway up my
| >sleeve!"  --Holographic bartender in ST:TNG
| 
| Today's ``User Friendly'' is totally on point for this, ``Hello Greg
| speaking.  I read the manuals so you don't have to...''
| 
| 	http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20050603
| 
| One of the frustrating parts of my job when I was data processing for a
| Navy contractor in the D.C. area was the constant interruptions to answer
| questions for engineers working on their own programs.  It was far easier
| for them to walk down to the computer room to ask me than to RTFM
| themselves.  On the other hand, it was probably very effective use of their
| time since they didn't have to bother to dig through documentation.

My complaint about people posting questions/problems on the filePro
Mailing List is that, more often than not, some *regular* posters of
their problems do not disclose one or more of the:

  1 - OS and version of filePro.
  2 - Processing table code involved.
  3 - Exact error message.
  4 - The values of PF* variables in the environment.
  5 - Command line calling the program.
  6 - Etc. (fill in the blanks).

Then, after Ken asks for such missing information, it isn't provided,
but other usless information/questions ensue.

I think he's a saint for trying to respond to such posts in the first
place, and then continue to do so after his request for more info, or
responses to questions such as, "What happens when you do this, or do
that?", go unanswered.  Just more noise is returned.

I pass on queries that don't give me enough info to follow them up, but
thrive on researching problems that give me enough information, and are
within my area of expertise, to investigate.  No saint, but like to help.

If someone gives me the URL for the Vatican I'll email Pope Benedict
(the umpteenth) recommending he cannonize Ken as the only Living Saint.

We're lucky that Ken reads this list, and pops in now and again.  But
if his presence here is abused (as I believe it has been sometimes), I
wouldn't blame him for saying, "Kiss off!", and where would we be then?

Bob

-- 
Bob Stockler - bob at trebor.iglou.com
Author: MENU EDIT II - The BEST Creator/Editor/Manager for filePro User Menus.
Fully functional (time-limited) demos available by email request (specify OS).