Topic: samba

[Charlie Brady]

Greg Zartman wrote:
>
> > Actually, Greg, it isn't really a relevant question about the
> > SME server.
>
> Dan, I'd have to disagree.  If asking a question about Samba
> here is off-topic where else would one ask it?

I have to agree with Dan - asking how to configure samba is off-topic here. The answer here is, you don't configure samba, it's done for you.  And "What is samba?" is just as off-topic here as "What is a CPU?".

>  Sure you could go to the Samba mailing list and ask the
> question, but that is a bit rough.

Why?

I came across a document today which is highly relevant to this discussion:

http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Here's a brief excerpt:

...
Before asking a technical question by email, or in a newsgroup, or on a website chat board, do the following:

   1.  Try to find an answer by searching the Web.
   2.  Try to find an answer by reading the manual.
   3.  Try to find an answer by reading a FAQ.
   4.  Try to find an answer by inspection or experimentation.
   5.  Try to find an answer by asking a skilled friend.
   6.  If you are a programmer, try to find an answer by reading
       the source code.
...

Charlie

[Michael Smith]

Greg, while it's noble of you to rush to the defense of C.Bharda and krustykev, I stand by my posts.  The signal-to-noise ratio in these forums is fairly high as such things go:  cross-posting and asking elementary questions will only increase the noise level.  If I can persuade either of the gentlemen in question, and perhaps others, to do a bit of thinking & researching on their own ... or at least to think twice before posting ("the burned child fears the fire") ... I'll feel I've done fairly well.

Yes, there are groups that get a lot of newbie questions.  Samba has no doubt been discussed many times therein.  I think it's just plain lazy to ask such questions outside of those groups, period.  At least I'm consistent ... I refer you to

http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=4832.msg16838#msg16838

wherein I flamed a knucklehead who had the gall to say that asking in the forum was easier than doing the legwork because of "time restrictions"!  Sheesh!

What prompted my missive was Bharda's assertion that while he knows crossposting is annoying, it's OK for HIM to do it so he'll get the most responses.  No, Cyrus -- it's not OK on Usenet and it's not OK here.  Especially when done knowingly.

You are very nearly correct, Greg, in your understanding of what I meant by "troll."  In Usenet terms, "troll" has two meanings.  Both derive, as you inferred, from fishing.  A message that is a troll is one that is designed *specifically* as flamebait ... so in responding to krustykev's message, I in fact responded to a message I considered a troll, and became the object of the verb form.

The second sense of the word "troll" is fairly obvious:  one who posts messages that are trolls is him/herself a troll.  So you were mostly correct, except that a troll trolls for flames, not just information.

A true troll revels in flamewars and is always trying to start something, which I don't now think is the case with krustykev. (He'd've done something much more interesting than just offer to kick my ass, if so.)

The document Charlie recommended is great.  I think I'll close with this quote:

"So, while it isn't necessary to already be technically competent to get attention from us, it is necessary to demonstrate the kind of attitude that leads to competence — alert, thoughtful, observant, willing to be an active partner in developing a solution. If you can't live with this sort of discrimination, we suggest you pay somebody for a commercial support contract instead of asking hackers to personally donate help to you."

Amen to that!

[Cyrus Bharda]

OK, I totally SINCERLY appologise for ALL my cross posting! I DO research and try to find my own answers before posting to the forums too, but honestly, I really didnt know you could get them via email, now I do see the error of my ways, and can see how cross posting would be very annoying to everyone who gets the list via email.

If I had known about this earlier then maybe I would not of made an ass of myself and try to justify what I had been doing. So from now on I will not cross post.

And personally I do think that the original question might not belong here, seeing as there is an abundance of information all around, but it was posted none the less, but it doesnt mean that you have to answer it. I would've happly answered it if I couldve given an answer. We were all noobies at one stage, even if I still am .

Cyrus Bharda

[krustykev]

i would like to say that this has become most interesting  as for the names i am being called.  sticks and stones fellas. like water off a ducks back