Newbies in Love-Hounds

[Steve Berlin <stev0@chaco.com>]

> In article <D2HIvz.9zq@freenet.carleton.ca>
I don't think the term "Newbie" in and of itself is derogatory
(although I realize that 19 out of 20 times it's used in that
fashion).  But the fact is, EVERYONE has to post that first
message, make that first mistake, get involved in that first
flame war (unless you want to be a lurker all your life; nothing
wrong with that.  I wish more folks WERE lurkers!)

I think the best definition of "Newbie" I heard; from the 
computing section of the San Jose Mercury News:

"Someone who's been on the 'Net for a shorter period of time
than the person doing the name-calling".

Which brings me to my point:  Someone complained that
they've asked questions only to be utterly ignored.  When
I see an easy-to-answer question, I tend to ignore it NOT
because "it's beneith me", but because I imagine the poor
person getting flooded with 35 answers.  *IF* I'm wrong,
and no one answers the question, THEN if the person re-asks
(saying "I asked this before but no one answered), then I
*WILL* answer it (by personal EMail) since I assume at that
point they would rather have 35 answers than none at all.

Of course, if someone emails me first (and that's happened
an number of times) instead of posting, then I'll answer
straight away.

OK, exception:  When someone asks "When will Kate tour again?",
I ignore it completely.  Or - and you'll find this hard to
imagine ME doing this - make some smartass remark.

- Stev0 the ex-newbie

"You must tour!"
"I caaan't!"
"You must tour!"
"She caaaan't"
- Dialog from tltc&tc