Mtngal,
Everything you say has some truth to it.
All questions and questioners should be respected.
I just want to add:
People should not take advice to go look in the archives as cheap or bad
advice.
Often that is the best advice you can get.
I know, we all want to have a quick reply with the best answer. And most of
us don't want to work any harder than we have to (especially me).
But, often the best answer is not given in any particular thread; often the
best answer is buried somewhere in the archives. I've been on the list long
enough to see a few topics recycled several times in different threads. The
answers you get at any one particular time in any one particular thread
depends on who's logged on that day. Or who has time. Or who cares to type
out an answer at that particular moment. The person that has the best answer
may be on vacation. Or he may have typed it out twenty times, the most
recent time being last week, and he (or she) is tired of answering the same
old question.
So you see, many times the best answer is to be found in the archives; not
in the thread of the moment.
Of course, how that advice is delivered has a lot to do with how it is
received.
My 2 cents,
Bill
90 Westy Syncro
-----Original Message-----
From: MtnGal <mtngal@SIERRATEL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Saturday, March 20, 1999 10:11 AM
Subject: Fear of asking a question?? Gee wonder why... [long'ish]

>    << No names mentioned >>
>
>It's not a question of bad week or not.
>
>It's a question of "what is this list for?"
>
>    There are no dumb questions remember?
>
>    I regret all the times I was afraid to ask because of what the "others
>may have thought and the smart @$$ comments that would result...  It took
me
>30 years to get over it.
>    Regardless, I ASK ANYWAY!
>
>    I can get the intelligent answer [hopefully] and move on with the
>correct information.
>    It's hard to perceive the thought or personality of the people we are
>talking to unless we know them personally.
>
>    Another thing, don't you think it's a sad day for the list that people
>asking for help have to start off saying:
> "Spare me the flames but..."   Or
>"Sorry if you covered this before but the archives are down, I hate to ask
>this again..."
>    NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR ASKING A QUESTION OR FEAR BEING
>FLAMED FOR MAKING ANY SORT  OF POST ASKING FOR HELP OR LISTING STUFF THEY
>HAVE AVAILABLE FOR SALE
>    IF we don't want to hear about it.
>    Just "Filter" them out!!!
>
>    I have received personal messages on how to filter people out.
>    Anyone else want to know how to use their filters?
>            Don't be afraid to ask.
>
>                                Mtngal
>
>P.S.Don't bother with the flames you'll just be added to my IDIOTS FOLDER.
>I bagged one the other morning ;0)
>