On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 01:08:59 -0400
Christopher Clements <bcnjr5@???> wrote:

> It also helps to find some kind, patient soul on IRC who can answer
> any questions you have about said manuals or tell you how to avoid
> embarrasing yourself by posting something stupid on a mailing list.
> (Wish I'd learned sooner...)

I think if you perform due-diligence Internet research, and if
applicable reduce the malfunction to a minimum malfunctioning example,
which you submit with your question, you're beyond reproach on a
mailing list of any size.

To make more complete the preceding paragraph, read
http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Also, my observation over the years is that each list inhabitant has a
balance sheet of questions asked vs answers given. The more one's
balance sheet slants toward answers, the more forgiveness one gets when
one asks a question that's in Google's top 5 responses.

Finally, there's a certain type who hangs out on the Internet, who just
lives to make other people wrong. Other than answering questions with a
simple "no", or "that's wrong because...", they shed no light on what
is right. I personally procmail these people to /dev/null: Life's too
short, and discussion's too valuable, to have these guys shut down good
conversations.

Even though I've posted some pretty stupid stuff on DNG, I was never
embarrased. We all make mistakes, and I used my due diligence.

SteveT

Steve Litt
July 2017 featured book: Quit Joblessness: Start Your Own Business
http://www.troubleshooters.com/startbiz