Continuing with the community theme. Interesting article that has some truth to it.
Moreover, I can sympathize with those who have been turned off from seeking help from Linux newsgroups or IRC.
Although, I have used Linux for awhile, I too have experienced atypical behavior from a couple developers. I seem to recall an instance where I sought help compiling Evolution from source, and quickly plunged into dependency hell. Obviously, I requested help from the Evo-hackers NG. There was bit of arrogance and a basic disdain for the less informed user. I will add that this was not generally the attitude of the majority of the GNOME/Evolution developers.
I suppose the beautiful aspect of Open Source is that for every idiot, there will be at least three benevolent people. So, it was that I discovered FRG project, whose scripts made installing GNOME apps on a Slackware box mere child's play.
In truth, the whole idea of asking the smart question is really essential to getting useful help. If you take the time to document and understand what help is truly required, you're more likely to get the help you need.
Regarding the Self-Congratulatory Posture of the Cluetrain Manifesto ... :: AO
