[ale] Request to Reduce Off Topic Posts

[James Sumners]

This email is looks to be the best to fork off of to explain my
support of the "less OT" subject.

When I joined the list (2003? [1]) I was using Linux on a daily basis
as my primary OS. I had been using Linux for several years prior to
joining the list. I joined because I wanted to see what I could learn
from folks in my area. It turns out that I ended up answering more
questions than I asked, but I enjoyed it.

A few years ago I needed to purchase my own laptop for school. At that
time I made the decision that I did not want to have to maintain, at a
low level, the OS on my laptop. But I knew I couldn't go with Windows,
that would just be too painful. So I opted to give OS X a shot. Since
then I've come to use Linux in different ways than before.

I now use Linux on servers (primarily Debian, unless I'm forced to
choose otherwise [I hate you Red Hat]) and my HTPC (Arch Linux, here).
So my interaction with Linux has gone _way_ down. As a result, my
interest in much of the traffic on this list has gone way down.

_However_, there are still some questions that come through that I
want to try and answer. Amid all of the Ubuntu and Fedora specific
questions (which are on topic!) there are the occasional fun ones, and
I'll chime in when I have a minute. There are also the cool, on topic,
posts like [2].

Which brings me to my issue with OT threads (and in turn threads that
get renamed OT): I'm here to help with Linux issues that interest me
and learn about the occasional neat Linux based project. Sifting
through the on topic stuff for those things is enough. Adding in the
OT threads just makes me wonder if maintaining my subscription is even
worth it.

That being said, I'm not opposed to the occasional OT thread. But they
have become a majority of the traffic on the list lately. And,
frankly, that's the point of an IRC channel -- real-time communication
about whatever strikes your fancy.

[1] -- http://article.gmane.org/gmane.org.user-groups.ale/75
[2] -- http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.org.user-groups.ale/75227

On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 7:24 PM, Richard Faulkner <rfaulkner at 34thprs.org> wrote:
> Random opinion from the Leopard Skin Room....
>
> Aaron has a good point and as much as I don't mind the OT posts (and will
> not criticize them) as not long ago I had to automatically move all my ALE
> inbound mail to a sub-folder to get it out of the mainstream of my inbox.
> This has made me fall way behind on mailings and likely miss-out on a lot of
> great tips and insight on *nix as I don't read them as frequent as I used
> to.  When I first started in the group it was pretty easy to keep-up with it
> all but now with the OT content it got too much for me.
>
> I'm "Mr. Nobody" around here but that's how a noob to this group has been
> handling the volume of OT mailings (who gets all of this on his desktop and
> not on a mobile).
>
> One the that I DO WANT TO SAY...is that ALE IS THE FINEST GROUP to associate
> with when it comes to learning or seeing help with *nix issues BAR-NONE
> IMHO.  When I first made the switch to Ubuntu last fall I quickly got
> involved with their forums for support and learning.  I had some really
> nagging issues that were NEVER addressed by anyone -- but my own learning
> on/off-line made it possible for me to start answering users who were having
> issues that a Level I type could answer (which I did).  Through ALE I was
> encouraged to try Fedora (which I had tried long ago but had issues with...)
> and found it a great fit for me today!  The few issues that I've run into
> have ALWAYS been kindly answered both in the Fedora Forum and by ALE
> members.
>
> I'm in Linux to stay and have washed my hands of M$ on my personal systems.
> I'm eying Linux certification and moving from M$ admin to a more
> *nix-centric career path.  For that reason I'm planning on being with this
> group for the long-haul...OT or not I'll stick it out for the good
> stuff...but I for one humbly wouldn't mind seeing less OT material.
>
> Thanks to all!  Cheers!!   Rich in Lilburn



-- 
James Sumners
http://james.roomfullofmirrors.com/

"All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts
pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it
is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become
drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."

Missionaria Protectiva, Text QIV (decto)
CH:D 59