Re: [orca-list] Topicality...again.

[Willie Walker <William Walker Sun COM>]

Hi Jason:

Welcome, and thanks for asking.

I'd say the simple litmus test might be something along the following
lines: if your topic can be constructed using phrases such as "I'm
trying to do the following with Orca..." or "I have the following
suggestion for Orca...", then it's likely to be on topic.

If your topic contains a phrase such as "this is probably off topic", or
it contains some general question about administering or configuring
your operating system (e.g., setting up wireless, backing up files,
etc.), then it's probably off topic.

Alternatively, think of this as a list to have productive discussions
with Orca users and developers regarding the use and development of
Orca. As with anything in life, this is not a black and white area.
There are gray areas that will always arise and I hope we can act like
adults.

Will

On Mon, 2009-03-23 at 08:33 -0500, Doorish, Jason wrote:
> As a new member of the list, I am curious what questions you all deem appropriate for the list. As I said I 
>  am a new user, and  will have questions regarding using orca on my new computer. I guess what questions 
> will bring down the wrath of being off topic , and which will not? 
> Thanks.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: orca-list-bounces gnome org [mailto:orca-list-bounces gnome org] On Behalf Of nolan
> Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2009 2:22 PM
> To: orca list
> Subject: [orca-list] Topicality...again.
>
> My gods. It's like we beat this dead horse every few weeks these days.
>
> I don't care about Vinux. If I did, I'd join the Vinux list.
>
> I don't care about VMs and their associated challenges. If I did, I'd 
> join that list.
>
> I DO care about Orca,accessibility issues involving it and ways to 
> accomplish tasks with it more easily.
>
> It does not become OK to start posting off-topic messages here a few 
> weeks after people have asked it to stop.
>
> It does not become OK to post off-topic just because a message is noted 
> as such.
>
> It does not become OK to ask any generic question and make it on topic 
> because you're running Orca. That makes about as much sense as posting X 
> or GNOME questions to a BASH list because I'm using it as my shell. "How 
> do I do X accessibly with Orca?" is a different matter, but not 
> everything that one is uncertain about is accessibility or 
> blindness-related.
>
> It is not OK to expect those of us frustrated by off-topic messages to 
> just delete them and move on. Universalize that principle and community 
> loses meaning, with everyone posting whatever they want anywhere.
>
> It is not OK to post off-topic and invite responses off-list. If the 
> initial post is OT, and if there is a request for keeping the list on 
> topic, saying "this is off-topic, so please respond off-list" 
> demonstrates to me that the principle of the list is being knowingly 
> disrespected.
>
> Now, I'm not trying to be the topic fascist here. I think that strictly 
> sticking with a topic and allowing no divergence is as bad as diverging 
> all the time. I don't believe people should quake in fear or concernn 
> that any given post is on or off-topic for a list.
>
> But, come on. This is not the vinux list, and there IS one. I looked 
> this morning. If you're interested in vinux vm or whatever, take your 
> questions there. If you're interested in knowing about it, subscribe. 
> But we've had at least half a dozen messages about it in the last day 
> alone. Sure, that's not many, but if we don't react, we tell any new 
> users "this is a generic linux community, ask all your questions here, 
> don't seek out your distribution's channels that are specifically set up 
> for helping you and create another blind community walled garden." 
> Seriously, at least from the Ubuntu perspective, I read 
> planet.ubuntu.com and they do a ton of work helping forum newbies and 
> trying to create a nurturing and supportive environment.
>
> This is not the place for that.. Please respect the efforts of the 
> distributions by taking generic requests there, and please respect the 
> requests that have been made here several times and let us continue 
> discussing issues that are related to Orca.
>
> Thanks. Hopefully I'm not making this post again in another month or two 
> because it has been decided that it's been a month, therefore it's OK to 
> start going off-topic again.
>
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