Budget Breakdown??

[Philip J. Nesser II]

Alan Bechtold supposedly said:
> 
> So -- let me get this straight. Asking a lot of questions -- some of them
> hard, some of them repeptitive, some of them off-topic -- is not acceptible
> for this list, but belittling the person who asks is?
> 


No.  Asking questions is great and useful and part of the process.  However
walking into the middle of a conversation (or discussion) and make broad
sweeping statements that are incorrect does not contribute to the
discussion, but tends to sidetrack from actually getting any work done.  In
such a situation it is appropriate to be informed that the answers to your
questions have been answered numerous times, and that you should read the
archives to catch up.  

It may be that a majority of the participants have been long time
participants in the IETF, where the standard practice when joining a
working group is to go and read the archives and the current drafts before
asking basic questions that have long been cleared up.  The magic and
wonder of this process has worked for many years based on the commitment of
the participants and their willingness to undertake such efforts.  In many
ways we are the victims of our success.  The Internet (and
computers/networks in general) have given most people a world of instant
gratification.  Want to know about something, boom! here's a one page
summary and you are up to speed.   This is also the case with many
management mindsets, they don;t need the details just the basics (and that
i appropriate for their function), but most of these discussions take place
between technical people.  Ignorance is NOT a sin, but an unwillingness to
do the ground work once it is pointed out to you ussually does not result
in a lot of patience.


> Just trying to get myself educated as to the proper way to conduct myself on
> this "open forum."
> 

Although this is not technically an IETF working group, much of the
discussion is taking place is a similar manner, so you may want to go read
the RFC on the Zen of the IETF.


> --- ALAN
> ============================================================
> Alan R. Bechtold
> Editor and Publisher, Sysop News and CyberWorld Report
> Director of Corporate Communications, Bidworld, Incorporated
> Founding Gold member, Association of Online Professionals
> Member, AOP Board of Directors
> 
> 

--->  Phil