[OT] Re: Overly brief answers (was Re: Terminal Server)

[Nico Meijer]

Hi Bill!

I am joyfully amazed at how much one simple "yes" can stir up, other 
than at weddings. ;-)

First off: I didn't mean to put OP or anyone else off. Yes, I must 
admit, there is a 'smart @$$' element in my answer, which is totally my bad.

Please take note that I am a nice guy, usually overly helpful 
(admittedly, not per se on this list, but I have a photograph to 
actually prove my point ;-) ) and light hearted. You cannot actually see 
my emails are written with a smile on my face. My bad, again.

> This is not an answer to the question.

Yes and no. Yes, remote access. Yes, multiple sessions. No, the hidden 
questions I did not answer. With a purpose, I must add.

> It does not answer the question and does
> not contribute to the OPs knowledge of FreeBSD, nor does it contribute to the
> list archives.

In a 'smart @$$' way, I was actually trying to get OP to *think* about 
his question and hopefully restate it. Taken as it is (i.e. literally), 
it was a wrong question with a right answer.

OP might have asked additionally: "If so, where could I begin to read 
and learn for myself?" Basically, "Will you help me to help myself?" To 
me, that is on the right track. "Will you hold my hand and do it for 
me?" is off limits, if you ask me, but OP was not going for this, obviously.

> It's also a violation of the rule against "me too" answers as
> laid out in "How to Get the Best Results from FreeBSD-Questions".

I'll be sure to reread it.

> It doesn't
> even serve to educate the OP on how to ask better questins.

You're probably right, although my intentions were just that.

> You could say that "technically, he didn't ask" but it
> boils down to just being rude.

I disagree. :-)

<straight-through-the-middle>
Asking a question on a high traffic mailing list without showing you've 
done some basic homework is rude. Implying/hiding questions instead of 
asking them directly is rude. (Hey, I was implying aswell!)
</straight-through-the-middle>

ESR has a well written piece on this very matter.

> I don't think answers like this reflect well on FreeBSD or the FreeBSD
> community.  Short answers like "see 'man foo'" are appropriate, as they impart
> some knowledge and tell the OP that his question is answered in the indicated
> documentation, but this doesn't follow that template.

What greater good is there than to help someone help themselves? I guess 
none.

So yes, I had done better had I pointed at some docs. I apologize for 
not doing that.

Bye... Nico 'my bad' Meijer

P.S. Although I *do* feel a greeting at the top of a message makes a 
world of difference. :-) Did you notice OP greeted? Did you notice I 
did? Can you see me smiling right now? :-)

P.P.S. No, that was not sarcasm, nor intended harmfully. :-)