[CH] FAQ - Scope

AndyB (quark@erols.com)
Thu, 16 Jan 2003 13:10:56 -0500 

john and jeannie wrote:

> <big snip>
> If I were a new or prospective list member and went to a FAQ page that
> listed what had already been discussed to death, with recipes, where to buy
> and not to buy products, etc, what would I have to ask about? Why would I
> join the list? From where would I find the moxie to imagine that I might
> have something to contribute to this group of folks who seem to have known
> each other for years?

This comment (and some by others) make the assumption that I had planned some sort of monstrous FAQ/Info site -- absolutely not so!  (The site would represent only a very tiny part of the tip of the iceberg.)  

Also, I never said that I would include "where to buy and not to buy products" - where on earth did you get this idea?  The CH List is supposed to be non-commercial.

My thoughts are towards a lean and mean site, slanted for nubies.  I think this approach reflects the sentiment of most list members. 

Observe that there may be a large number of would-be list members out there that haven't signed up, or don't even know how to, or even that the list exists.  This FAQ/Info site would aid in that regard.  Note that I put how to subscribe near the top. Closely followed by procedures and rules (e.g. no spam).  Some basic info on, for example, recipes and/or how to grow chiles might stir their interest in deciding to sign up.

Providing some basic Q&As has two benefits:

o Sometimes there is a large daily number of emails on the list, 50-100,
  Having some basic Q&As will make the list somewhat more efficient.

o More importantly, when one newly joins an established group, one is often
  not even sure what questions to ask.  Seeing some initial questions in a
  topic area aids in asking more specific questions to the list.

*******************
> Might we list our talked into the ground topics in a way that will link the
> interested party to the specific archives in which the topics were
> discussed? This would give the reader an idea of how we 'do' our discussions
> and the content of the discussion to date. Maybe we should have a FAQ that
> is something likeonight?
> <snip>
> Shrimping, Knuckledragging (and if this is a gender specific delineation
> <not!>) can be found in the archives. I truly believe it would best prepare
> someone to feel comfortable in contributing to our wonderful list if they
> were given the option to refer to specific points in archives to help them
> to determine our list's varying views. If a newbie did post a 'been there
> done that ad nausium', some kind soul might then point them toward AndyB's
> FAQ, that would link them to the specific archives of what had already been
> covered.

I do not object to this in principle.  However I imagine that, to do a comprehensive job on the whole archive would produce between 2000-5000 items.  In addition to the raw work of identifying the individual items would be the job of organization and access - certainly some form of automated cross-referencing would be required.  Also, how would one gracefully handle contentious issues?

I am no database expert, but I would guess this would take, perhaps, 6 man months. (Perhaps some database expert out there might hazard a guess.)

Anyway, it is far, far beyond the scope of anything I contemplated or can do.

> jeannie nelson            tacoma wa.

AndyB