Re: debian-user list info and guidelines (FAQ) - posted monthly
On Sat, May 01, 2021 at 03:17:39AM -0700, Weaver wrote:
> On 01-05-2021 20:07, Andrew M.A. Cater wrote:
> > debian-user is a mailing list provided for support for Debian users,
> > and to facilitate discussion on relevant topics.
> >
> > Some guidelines which may help explain how the list works:
> >
> > * The language on this mailing list is English. There may be other mailing
> > lists that are language-specific for example debian-user-french
> >
> > * It is common for users to be redirected here from other lists - for example,
> > from debian-project. It is also common for people to be posting here when
> > English is not their primary language. Please be considerate.
> >
> > * The list is a Debian communication forum. As such, it is subject to both
> > the Debian mailing list Code of Conduct and the main Debian Code of Conduct
> >
> > https://www.debian.org/MailingLists/#codeofconduct
> > https://www.debian.org/code_of_conduct
> >
> > * This is a fairly busy mailing list and you may have to wait for an
> > answer - please be patient. Please post answers back to the list so
> > others can benefit; private conversations don't benefit people who
> > may be following along on the list or reading the archives later.
> >
> > * Help and advice on this list is provided by volunteers in their own time.
> > It is common for there to be different opinions or answers provided.
> >
> > * Please try to stay on topic. Arguments for the sake of it are not
> > welcome here. Partisan political / religious / cultural arguments
> > do not belong here either. Debian's community is world wide; don't
> > assume others will agree with your views or need to read them on a
> > Debian list.
> >
> > * There is an FAQ on the Debian wiki derived from some questions asked on this
> > list at https://wiki.debian.org/FAQsFromDebianUser
> >
> > * One question that comes up on almost all Debian lists from time to time is of
> > the form:
> > "I have done something wrong / included personal details in an email.
> > Could you please delete my name / details / remove the mail"
> >
> > Practically, this is impossible: the mailing lists are archived,
> > potentially cached
> > by Google and so on. Unfortunately, there is nothing much we can do to
> > ensure that
> > all copies anywhere on the Internet are deleted. Asking to do this may
> > only serve to
> > draw further attention - the so-called "Streisand effect"
> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
> >
>
> `This is a fairly busy mailing list' - Oh no, it isn't!
> It used to be.
Absolutely: however, if you look at the Debian mailing lists as a whole, this
is one of the busier lists - hey, we can get up to four pages worth in the
debian-user web interface.
> I can recall days when I'd get 300 mails or more, but that was when the
> attitude was it was a list for Debian users, and not just a list for
> Debian issues.
It's still a list for Debian users: not as many people use or appreciate
mailing lists as they did but, actually, they still work well - not least
because there's a searchable archive.
> At times, there would be 70% of threads on topic, while the rest were
> wildly off, but there's one aspect everybody seems to have forgotten:
> conversation/communication builds community.
Agreed. There are days when it feels as if there are only ten people here
but we are here for wider conversation and chat. Comparing this with some
of the language-specific Debian lists, it's still fairly active.
> And this list is somewhat dry on that quality these days.
> I think we can attribute the list drying up like a river in drought to
> that.
> Perhaps the prissy and politically correct simply don't have it right?
> Cheers!
Prissy/politically correct - no, I'm not sure that's right. That's one of
the reasons we do have a Debian Code of Conduct - so there's a minimum
acceptable standard on the lists and so that folk can feel welcome.
If you try to categorise Debian developers or users, you very rapidly come
across category breakers or a breadth of people you can scarcely guess at.
Debian as the universal operating system: priorities free software and our
users - yes, but there's a space for all sorts of people behind the keyboards
and mail interface.
All best, as ever,
Andy Cater
>
> Harry.
> --
> `Women fall in love with what they hear,
> men fall in love with what they see,
> that's why women wear make up and men lie'.
>
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