[kde-linux] Users guide to KDE?

[Anne Wilson]

On Sunday 06 July 2008 17:44:46 Randy Kramer wrote:
> On Sunday 06 July 2008 11:59 am, Kevin Krammer wrote:
> > On Sunday 06 July 2008, Randy Kramer wrote:
> > I don't see how this puts less burden on the reader, since it is still a
>
> form
>
> > of marking articles.
>
> The burden in the first case is that the reader always has to remember, in
> the 2nd case a reminder is always in front of him.  (Agreed, he might not
> always read the reminder, but I'm hoping it will something that triggers
> before he (presumably, accidentally) starts any rumors.)
>
I can guarantee that he won't read them, at least after the first time.

> > Even worse now the marking is not used to highlight the
> > few special articles, but to emphasis all the personal opinions.
>
> I was thinking of it being a standard footer (or header) in all posts from
> the list.  Thus no one has to try to remember to include it.  

Some years back on the Mandrake lists we started adding a standard footer with 
a link to a FAQ.  It did no good.  Then one person took the responsibility 
for sending a monthly message to the list with reminders about where to find 
the code of conduct for the list.  No-one read it.  It was quite common for a 
question to be asked on the 2nd of the month that had been dealt with on that 
1st-of-the-month letter.  As for code of conduct - they didn't even know 
there was one.  All this just one day after it went out.  He persevered for 
more than 2 years, IIRC, before declaring himself beaten and leaving the 
list.

> When (if) 
> there is a release announcement on the list, the announcer should make a
> point, something like, "contrary to the standard footer on this list, this
> is a release announcement (or plan, or whatever)".
>
I have never seen a release announcement that wasn't absolutely crystal clear 
that it was official.

> > From my point of view this would be kind of backwards, especially since
> > the media (e.g. blog, mailinglist) already shows the difference to the
> > official press releases (on project's homepage or directly linked to from
> > there).
>
> Not sure I follow you here--are you saying that the media already knows
> that documents on the development discussion lists are not release
> announcements?
>
> Even if so, what about more casual readers of the development discussion
> lists?
>
Anyone who doesn't understand the difference between a discussion and an 
announcement shouldn't be readen the development lists at all.  Yes, that's a 
harsh statement, but I don't believe that anyone else has the responsibility 
for doing for you what your brain should be doing.

> > I hope we will never have to surrender to the closed information world by
> > adopting their strategies, but if that is the last resort before not
> > communicating at all, restrictions will have to be hard to pass, since
> > the "fairly wide or not difficult to pass" approach has than been proved
> > to be a failure.
> >
> > Lets hope that for once humanity will not be held back by those who think
>
> that
>
> > the ability to think for yourself is just an abomination of nature.
>
> +1
>
Exactly

Anne