email etiquette Was: Stupid disclaimers

[David Hart]

On Thu, Jan 19, 2006 at 03:11:15PM +1100, Sasha Tsykin wrote:
> Oscar Veloz wrote:
> 
> >I am trying to install Ubuntu 5.10 to an MSI Hetis 915 style computer.
> >It's a P4, and when it attempts to boot from Ubuntu for the first time
> >it gets stuck at the "hotplug subsystem" startup.  Any clues? 
> >
> I don't know what the problem is, but please make the subject of the 
> email relevant to the contents.

Good advice but I don't think you are in a strong position to give it.
And, even though I wish I didn't feel the need, here's a little advice
for you (and some others on this list):

1.  If you continue a thread within a thread (as you have done above)
do something similar to what I've done; change the subject with a
reference to the original thread.  This makes it easier for people
skimming or filtering on subjects (both on list and in archives).

2.  When you quote text, please trim it to what is relevant to
your reply.  This:

  (a) saves bandwidth (I don't have a big problem with this but please
  show consideration for those who do, for example, people who have
  expensive metered Internet connections or those on dial-up)
  
  (b) makes your posts much easier to read and respond to.
  
  (c) says something good about _you_ in that is indicates to the
  reader that you've put that little extra effort in to help them
  (and indirectly, yourself).  A few seconds extra effort on your
  part saves that time many times over for the thousands of readers
  on a busy mail list (and those searching the archives).

3.  Try to keep conversations on topic for the list.  Feeding the
trolls does not help.  If you want to rant about windows/linux,
signature disclaimers or any of the many other irrelevant topics that
have come up on this list recently, _please_ do it elsewhere.

For an example of disregard for points 2 and 3 I refer you to
Message-ID: <43CF367C.1070607 at optusnet.com.au>.  A 505 line email with
only 2 lines of original but off-topic text.

For those in any doubt about the value of my suggestions please
refer to the links kindly posted by Joyce Markoll in Message-ID:
<43CF367C.1070607 at optusnet.com.au> before responding.

And, despite the recent increase in noise, this list is still one
of the most friendly and helpful that I've followed.  Please help to
keep it so.

-- 
David Hart <ubuntu at tonix.org>