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Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 08:58:30 -0400
From: John Colagioia <JColagioia@csi.com>
Organization: No Conspiracy Here...
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BlindBat wrote:

> -- What's this all about and should I bother reading it?

Well, I think I'm a definite reader, at least, after an introduction like
this.  Getting down to the other points:

[...]

> -SN- Two things I noticed after lurking on both r*if's for a while:
> sometimes veterans will get a little impatient with newbies asking
> seemingly obvious questions, and answer RTFM (or perhaps RTFFAQ :),

This is standard in any longstanding community, unfortunately.  Any small,
tight group (a category into which I place this group) will have obviously
covered a lot of ground--sometimes through a bit of pain and
suffering--and retreading that ground can sometimes be emotional.

But you have another point, down below, which is related.


> but the amount of material (both articles and games) available is a
> bit overwhelming,

Absolutely.  I've been tempted for quite some time (since I've been
wandering the GMD archive for years, now, and regularly check various
websites for updates) to try to build a personal library of the various
articles, indexed and otherwise organized in a way that makes sense for
someone searching for "an answer," but every attempt has met with failure,
since I'm not familiar enough with the documents to organize them...


> and the more I read up on things the more I can see
> how much of what is novel to me has already been discussed in the
> past...

That's part of the fun--for me, at least--of participating in a group like
this.  A bit of it is over my head, but the comments are typically
structured enough so that I know WHY something was over my head.  And this
gives me a good indication of where to go to fill the gaps in my
knowledge.


> so please be lenient if I(or other newbies) miss an obvious
> example of the subject at hand, or discuss something treated at length
> before... and don't hold back on commenting on any of it or point to
> further already available info...

Heh...Bah!


> -SN- Also, an obvious problem with written communication (electronic
> or traditional) is that some comments come across wrong or more
> harshly than intended.

I do find it interesting that, in a group of (mostly) literary- and
technically-minded authors--many of whom have an astonishing ability to
evoke emotion in their writing--don't necessarily have better control over
their posts.  But, yes, that's a fact of life, as well, unfortunately.
And one that no amount of "primal ASCII art" can alter.

For those people finding themselves consistently misinterpreted, I'd
suggest reading your "missive" before posting--out loud, if you're having
consistent problems.  It might not make an immediate difference (though it
might), but it will sensitize you to what other people are seeing.


> So here is my disclaimer: All the above and
> what will follow is not intended by me as a know-it-all smart-ass
> comment on how to write IF, but an honest attempt at learning by
> sharing my limited knowlege, and have others enrich it by what it is
> lacking. And perhaps provide a starting/ rallying point for any
> newbies like myself (as previously mentioned)

Oh.  You're a trouble-maker.  I see, now...


> Enough already, high time for IF design discussion!

