Re: [xml] re:[xml][no subject]

[Igor Zlatkovic <igor stud fh-frankfurt de>]

>   And I overreacted, clearly. I do sometimes, well I'm just trying
> to resist having to separate the developper list from the users list.
> Maybe I will end-up having to do this :-(

Your overreactions are the last thing people, and you, should be worrying
about. Those who take it personally overreact themselves.

Separating the lists will not help. You will still moderate both and face
the same questions. It will bring you additional pain, namely users who post
to the developers list and vice-versa.

Many users ask questions, answers to which can be found in the docs. When
you answer nicely, they apologize for not having found the info themselves.
When you overreact, they complain about mistreatment. Common in both cases,
they think that the docs are not useful. Not a single person ever took pains
to investigate what exactly misled him, once he learned that the docs do
offer the info he was looking for. The claim you can discover that yourself
is equal to the claim you can read their mind.

Imagine me two years ago, coming to the this list and saying that libxml is
shit because it does not run on Windows. Daniel is responsible, because he
made it. Hop, hop, Daniel, make it run on my favourite platform, it is your
software. How many people would overreact to that? Complaining about bad
docs without even blinking to improve them is exactly the same.

This I apply to people who do read the docs, but don't understand them or
have problems finding the bits they need. Those who do not read the docs at
all and ask to be herded through the basics are a different story. What
these want is in essence a free consulting. They can be happy if the only
punishment they get is your overreaction. :-)

Peace. I like you the way you are and I think others can be reasonably
expected to give up the illusions of a perfect world and accept your good
and your bad sides. Taken all together, you are handling the whole project
excellently. One thing you can do better: try to separate those who have
problems with the docs from those who want free consulting. The former group
can be helped if they help us help them. The latter deserve a kick or three.

Ciao
Igor