[R] mailing list for basic questions - preliminary sum up

[Mulholland, Tom]

The fact that I've been using R for quite a while now and did not know
about this document is supporting evidence of the need to get this sort
of information out there. 

However that big list is going to daunt some people, it would have
daunted me at the beginning. At a time when you are digesting a whole
new universe (wonderful though it is) some short and pithy help is
welcome. I expect that there would be a consensus on which topics are
essential to improve the quality of questions. It is this select group
of comments that could be put in a standard email sent out once a month.
I would assume that the link to Eric Raymond's "How To Ask Questions The
Smart Way"1 would be part of the advice. That is if you're going to
spoon feed, then spoon feed the advice that helps the list most and
encourage new list members to take the time to read the longer document.


I think this special treatment is warranted because the issue is not
about R per-se, it is about this list, so it makes more sense to have it
coming out of this list rather than an entry in the R-FAQ. Although I
can't see a reason for not doing both.

Hmmm. Before I post this I had better go and see what Eric has to say
about this sort of message. 

Ciao, Tom

1 An assumption on my part is that there is fundamental agreement that
the document is the best source for advice on how to ask questions of
this list
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Tom Mulholland
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-----Original Message-----
From: Liaw, Andy [mailto:andy_liaw at merck.com] 
Sent: Thursday, 18 December 2003 8:26 AM
To: 'Tom Mulholland'
Cc: r-help at stat.math.ethz.ch
Subject: RE: [R] mailing list for basic questions - preliminary sum up


> From: Tom Mulholland
> 
> I have empathy for lots of the points already made, more
> often on the life
> is not always easy and you have to work at it flavour because 
> that's where
> you make the real gains.
> 
> One particular message early in the piece cited an example of
> what a good
> request might look like. Other lists sometime send out 
> regular messages
> (although they tend to be about the rules of the list) that 
> are intended to
> make sure that important pieces of information are regularly repeated.
> 
> I know that there is more than enough talent on this list to
> put together
> suggestions for getting quick responses that could be sent 
> out regularly.
> The sorts of things that might be in it would be when you 
> should attach
> details of operating system, version etc. (or if they should always be
> there) as well as comments like those by Spencer Graves and 
> it could include
> the checklist that someone mentioned (I think that was Frank 
> Harrell). It
> would almost be a pro-forma for messages and while people 
> don't have to use
> it, it may help those who do think before they post (we'll 
> never stop some
> people, because that's just the way they are)
> 
> Tom Mulholland
> Tom Mulholland Associates

Please see Eric Raymond's "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way"
(http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html).

(One of these days I shall take up Martin's suggestion and write an
entry for R-FAQ pointing to it.  The problem is getting people to
actually read the FAQ, let alone links in the FAQ...)

Best,
Andy



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