[R-SIG-Finance] How people do get information about the list?

[Joshua Ulrich]

On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 9:05 AM, Matthieu Stigler
<matthieu.stigler at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi guys
>
> I was just wondering after those repeted scenes where people ask and get
> answered "search on the list", "this has been answered", "give reproducible
> example" how actually soemone totally new to the list might know about its
> functionning...
>
The "Search" link on the R homepage and the _first sentence_ on the
mailing list page, "Please read the instructions below and the posting
guide before sending anything to any mailing list!"

> Assume the guy discovers the list through R page/ mailing lists/ r
> -sig-finance. How can he serach into the archive? Obviously, just looking at
> that page:
> "To see the collection of prior postings to the list, visit the R-SIG-Finance
> Archives <https://stat.ethz.ch/pipermail/r-sig-finance/>.
>
> won't help him so much (unless there is a way to search from that archive?).
> After some search (assume the guy wants something more precise than just
> google), the guy will maybe find that there is a searchable archive here
> (are there others?):
> http://marc.info/?l=r-sig-finance&r=1&b=200902&w=2
>
There are several others, found by clicking the "Search" link on the R homepage:
http://www.r-project.org/search.html

> Finally, say the guy searched and did an answer for his topic. She wants to
> ask, how should she formulate her question? No particular instructions (show
> code, give self repro example), are given...
>
Not true.  The posting guide says small, self-reproducible examples
are helpful.  It also provides guidance on how to formulate a post to
the list.
Additionally, the "Final Words" section of the posting guide has this
very useful link:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

> So I don't know... but there would maybe be another way to give a few
> informations on the list that could help people asking questions, and avoid
> people from the list to repeat always the same? Maybe kind of web page just
> metionning a few "advices" on how to ask, with links to searchable archives?
> Or any other idea?
>
Providing information isn't the problem.  The problem is getting
people to actually use it.

Best,
Josh
--
http://www.fosstrading.com



> Best
>
> Matthieu
>
>        [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
>
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