Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (January 2000, week 5)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Sun, 30 Jan 2000 20:35:22 -0800
Reply-To:     Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Subject:      Re: archives?????
Comments: To: Bill Nolan <bill@FREEHOLDER.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>If I ask one of my neighbors what kind of fencing I need to >keep goats from escaping, and his reply is, "somebody answered that just >last year, so go look it up on www.goatfence.com," I wouldn't find that to >be a friendly response.

Bill, I understand your point and it is a good one. But your analogy of asking the list being like asking a neighbor falls short in some instances. For instance, keep in mind that while your neighbor is always there (or will be home shortly) the list members come and go. When someone asks a question the person with the best answer may or may not be reading the list postings. However, there may be three or four who remember the guy's post from last June. In this case it makes great sense to refer the guy to the archives of last June.

In addition, some topics have no easy answer. For instance, auxiliary batteries. There are many different solutions to this problem... some of them less safe than others. It would take me a whole day to try to summarize everyone's solution that I have read. I prefer to state the basics and refer the guy to the postings from last winter... he will truly get the best education that way.

And remember, we are all human and truly sometimes get tired of answering the same old question... referring someone to the archives is better than no answer at all. And even if you don't get referred to the archives, on anything important or anything that involves safety it is best to go to the archives to get other opinions whether you got a current answer or not... that's because I have seem many WRONG answers posted while the correct answers are in the archives.

So how about giving us a break... we all put in the time that we can at the moment. If I don't see the correct answer posted and don't have time to write out an answer, I will continue to refer people to the archives... especially if I have some idea of what time period he will find his answer.

Bill

> >Bill (SE Arizona) (Bill@freeholder.com) HTTP://www.freeholder.com >---------------------------------------------------------- >Censorship is the assassination of ideas. No matter how well-meaning its >proponents may be, they are more dangerous to us than any outside enemy. >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.