Re: OT: Lurking, and Invitations to the Archives

In a message dated 7/17/00 12:55:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time, mbrown@pldi.net 
writes:

<<  I am sorry if it sounded like I was suggesting that being referred to the 
archives was a brush off.  I certainly did not intend that.  The  archives 
are wonderful and with a tutorial I am  sure I will gain even more 
information from them. >>

Oh, that issue has been on my mind for some time. Some invitations to the 
Archives are more inviting than others, for sure. And the Archives do take 
some getting used to. Like any other reference resource they take some work 
to learn. But the bottom line is that there is a lot of good information 
there, and the work pays off. 

Asking a question is often a good deal easier, and shorter, than answering 
it. People want to help, they do, they want to answer questions for people, 
but it takes time, which is finite, and they know that at some point the 
novice must supplement the interrogative means of getting information with 
other means. People may or may not own books or the wherewithall to obtain 
them, but if they are here, they probably have access to the Archives. It is 
a free resource for self-education, which, when the student is motivated, as 
by a love of irises, is the best sort of education. 

I want to reiterate something I have said before. Every time a question gets 
asked there is the possibility of new information emerging. While referring 
folks to the Archives it is important to make sure it is understood that no 
one is suggesting that the subject is closed. No. What is being suggested is 
precisely that there is a good deal of information that is deemed worthy and 
apposite readily at hand in a form that can be read by most all who are 
interested. No one closes a subject around here, although some subjects peter 
out for a while when no one who does any talking has any more to say about 
it. That said, I think very few questions fail to get answered here, and a 
courteous referral to the Archives is also a legitimate answer.

Anner, in Virginia
ChatOWhitehall@aol.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life's too short to send boring email. Let SuperSig come to the rescue.
http://click.egroups.com/1/6809/0/_/486170/_/963858838/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index