Re: -- Draft unofficial <sci.math> FAQ. Comments please.

On Jan 21, 6:45 pm, quasi <qu...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:13:00 -0800 (PST), "mensana...@xxxxxxxxxxx"





<mensana...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
On Jan 21, 6:00 pm, quasi <qu...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:37:06 -0800 (PST), "mensana...@xxxxxxxxxxx"

<mensana...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Ok, but if there's a possibility of setting up the killfiles
incorrectly, then proper setup directions should be a FAQ entry,
shouldn't they?

I don't think a discussion of killfiles even needs to be in the main
FAQ. The prefix idea works well without need for a killfile, allowing
the user to visually quickly pick out the prefixed posts. They can
optionally also look at the others.

Besides, I doubt if most people will use an automated killfile to
_only_ look at prefixed posts, otherwise many newbies (and others who
choose not to prefix their posts) will be filtered out.

However, some newsreaders allow toggling a filter on and off, and so,
as a first pass through a day's articles, I might first turn the
filter on, and then, as a second pass, turn it off.

But instructing people how to use filters is not what the FAQ is all
about. Presumably, the main goal is an attempt to provide guidelines
for how to post and reply.

Sure, a complete tutorial on how to use killfiles would
be inappropriate. What I envision is a simple statement
like

"If you use the '-- ' in a filter, it is recommended
that it permit the '-- ' to appear anywhere in the
subject as subjects may be pre-pended with other data
from the newsreader such as 'Re: '.

For replying, you don't have to do anything. You don't even need to be
aware of whether or not a prefix is there. Just reply as normal. In
other words, for replies, no need to change the subject line in any
way -- just reply.

Yes, I got that part. But isn't it reasonable that a newbie to
sci.math might also be a newbie with respect to setting up
filters to use this scheme he hasn't encountered before?

As I don't have one, I simply don't know, but "begins with"
is a common idiom for such things. If a single line in the FAQ
can save someone a lot of grief, I don't see why not include it.


quasi
.

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