4.0811 Hum: Fileserver; Repetition & Usenet (2/31)

Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 4 Dec 90 20:23:43 EST

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 0811. Tuesday, 4 Dec 1990.


(1) Date: Tue, 04 Dec 90 10:44 EST (16 lines)
From: "Dr. Joel Goldfield" <JOEL@DUKEMVS.BITNET>
Subject: Access to HUMANIST's wisdom

(2) Date: Tue, 4 Dec 90 09:07:44 MST (15 lines)
From: koontz@alpha.bldr.nist.gov (John E. Koontz)
Subject: Re: 4.0803 Hum: Discussion Invited; Repetition...

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 90 10:44 EST
From: "Dr. Joel Goldfield" <JOEL@DUKEMVS.BITNET>
Subject: Access to HUMANIST's wisdom

Thank you, Allen, for that recent posting about the possibility
of an easier system for accessing our accumulated HUMANIST wisdom.
Just one voice of many, I can say that I have used the listserver
several times, but because of the ever-increasing number of topics
to wade through, I try to avoid doing so now whenever possible. The
most important topics I create my own files for and keep our
mainframe's disks and tapes humming happily (usually). I would
use the listserver search system much more often were there a
well cross-referenced, simple, hypertextual approach with
documentation.

Best wishes,
Joel

(2) --------------------------------------------------------------26----
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 90 09:07:44 MST
From: koontz@alpha.bldr.nist.gov (John E. Koontz)
Subject: Re: 4.0803 Hum: Discussion Invited; Repetition; Splitting...

One approach to handling repeat questions that I have seen used on
USENET is for someone to sponsor a document that collects the most
frequently asked questions and the current best answers. This is
presumably available on the server, but is also posted periodically for
comment and, hopefully, to forestall excessive repetition of the
queries. Those who aren't interested can easily recognize the header
and delete it forthwith. On a moderated list it would be possible for
the editors to shortcircuit the standard queries by simply mailing back
this collection with some standardized explanation of what had happened.