On Tue, Jan 13, 1998 at 11:13:25AM +0100, Irmund Thum wrote:
> Shouln't it be possible to divide the list in beginners and advanced?
>
This is not so easy to do. Presumably, if you divide the list
there would need to be some criteria defining appropriate posts for each
level. How would you suggest placing the line ? What is a beginner
question and what is an advanced question ?
I am active with my local Linux User Group. This issue has come
up in discussions we have had about certain events, and, indeed, about our
own mailing list. We have found that a distinction between newbie and
pro is impossible define. Of course there are those who are absolute
wet behind the ears, green as grass beginners, but this status starts
to become fuzzy after a very short period of time.
At the other end of the spectrum are the experts. The status
of an expert, while clear to those you know them, is still not as easy
to define as that of an absolute newborn beginner. These are
unquestionably people who know what they are talking about -- systems
analysts who design linux systems, system admins, and analyst programmers.
However, they don't know everything (as no one can) and occasionaly
ask questions with a beginner flavour. I have yet to hear one ask a
completely wet-eared green-grass beginner question, but the systems people
might need help with a compile or library problem, or a programmer might
need help with configuring some package she can't get to run properly. And
it is not necessarily the bearded loin-clothed sage who will give them the
answer they need, but a member of the writhing masses in between. Clearly,
I believe, we benefit from hanging around together.
I don't know which group I would place myself in. I have been using
Linux for one or two years now. I don't feel competent answering questions
on this list yet. But I certainly know more than many people who are
starting out. I don't answer many questions on the local list either, but
at our meetings I find newer people asking me questions that I can answer.
If we did go to two lists, and were able to define the
line separating the two groups, the distinction would ultimately fade. Some
beginners would stay on that list even after gaining experience and
knowledge. They would start to help others, perhaps basking in the glory of
being looked up to. Beginners would end up on the advanced list, some to
lurk, others because they didn't know about the other list. Questions would
be asked and probably answered. We would end up with two lists doing
essentially the same thing.
Long live a unified list.
Gerald Crimp
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