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

[Brian G. Peterson]

Matthieu Stigler 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...
>   
> 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
>
>   

Here is the Nabble archive, which offers reasonable searchability via a 
custom Google search:

http://n4.nabble.com/Rmetrics-f925806.html

And of course searching for anything R related should follow the 
standard guidelines for searching

- try help.search() and RSiteSearch() first
- use RSeek.org to search
- Google search by adding '+R' or 'r-project' to your search

> 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...
>
>   
Well, I'd probably start with the posting guide:

http://www.r-project.org/posting-guide.html

Maybe this should get added (again?) to the footer of all list emails.

The classic treatise on the topic of how to get support for free 
software is Eric Raymond's 'How to Ask Questions the Smart Way'

http://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?
>
> Best
>
> Matthieu
>   
Cheers,

    - Brian

-- 
Brian G. Peterson
http://braverock.com/brian/
Ph: 773-459-4973
IM: bgpbraverock