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List:       mysql
Subject:    Re: triggers (or too-many-crappy-questions)
From:       "Joshua J. Kugler" <jkugler () bigfoot ! com>
Date:       2004-05-01 22:59:10
Message-ID: 200405011459.10188.jkugler () bigfoot ! com
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> I found that the Postgres mailing list was full of very polite, super
> helpful people. I found that the MySQL list was full of relatively cranky
> people with little patience.
>
> Over that last year, I've I think I've discovered why. The average quality
> of the questions posted on the MySQL list are quite low (compared to the
> Postgres lists), and I think many of the people who are in a position to
> respond are fed up.

That's part of the price of "fame."  You get more people who know of MySQL as 
a "buzzword," so think "Oh, I'll try that."  In addition, there are a lot of 
open source programs out there that use MySQL as their back end, thus, many 
more people are trying to install MySQL.  In the end, you get the people that 
don't and/or refuse to read documentation, and just post to the list.

> "Sir,
>
> How I use MySQL? Why I want use it? Where I download from?
>
> Kindest regard."

Not to disparage our foreign members, but it does seem that often those for 
whom English is not their mother tongue do not want to read through pages of 
English documentation.  There are other languages for the docs I believe, but 
those don't always get found.

> Maybe a new MySQL list is needed - one called Dumb Questions, and when
> someone posts one to any other list, someone can quickly respond, "Please
> repost this on the MySQL Dumb Questions list, as that's where it belongs".

What is needed is moderation.  I would happily volunteer to serve as moderator 
on this list (check back later to see if I've changed my mind :), as it is 
not terribly high traffic (and would be even lower if we eliminated all the 
newbie posts).  When a post came across the list that is answered in the 
archives or the docs, a message could be bounced back saying so.  It would 
probably cut list traffic by half.

j----- k-----

-- 
Joshua J. Kugler -- Fairbanks, Alaska -- ICQ#:13706295
Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, in heaven, on earth, and under 
the earth, that Jesus Christ is LORD -- Count on it!

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