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FAQ 4.14 How can I compare two dates and find the difference?
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FAQ 4.14 How can I compare two dates and find the difference? PerlFAQ Server 05-12-2008
Posted by Marc Bissonnette on May 12, 2008, 7:09 pm
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 keyboard. This was the result:

>
>>> This is an excerpt from the latest version perlfaq4.pod, which
>>> comes with the standard Perl distribution. These postings aim to
>>> reduce the number of repeated questions as well as allow the
>>> community to review and update the answers. The latest version of
>>> the complete perlfaq is athttp://faq.perl.org.
>>>
> ...
>
>> Honestly, what is the point of posting this?
>
> Advertising the FAQ list.
>
>> It really doesn't help.
>
> These postings work in many ways. First, by making specific FAQ
> entries more visible to inexperienced users. Second, FAQ entries are
> constantly improved using feedback from the group.
>
>> It makes the newsgroup harder to read
>
> No they don't. Certainly, no more than newbies who post without
> reading the documentation.
>
>> and they are never relevant.
>
> Huh? They are answers to Perl FAQ list.
>
>> It's basically spam.
>
> You need to learn what spam means.
>
>> If the person doesn't google the question before
>> posting then they sure as hell aren't going to search the group.
>
> While I pride myself in reading the full FAQ list every time I upgrade
> Perl, I cannot keep it all in my head all the time. These postings
> have time and again attracted my attention to useful FAQ entries I had
> forgotten. They also serve as an automatic review mechanism meaning
> that the quality of the FAQ list increases as a direct result.
>
> So, clueless newbies are not the only potential beneficiaries of these
> postings.

Agreed wholeheartedly. While I consider myself a moderately experienced
perl geek, I'm far, far away from a true expert. More often than not,
the FAQ postings will trigger something of interest or simply refresh
knowledge that got a little stale. Many a time, I've read the odd FAQ
posting and thought "So *that's* how it's done", simply because it
wasn't important enough in the past to look up, but now makes future
coding easier because of the new knowledge.


--
Marc Bissonnette
Looking for a new ISP? http://www.canadianisp.com
Largest ISP comparison site across Canada.

Posted by Jürgen Exner on May 12, 2008, 9:34 am
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 [An FAQ entry]
>
>Honestly, what is the point of posting this? It really doesn't help.

I disagree. In addition to those reasons mentioned in the frist few
lines of each FAQ posting (which are very valid) they also raise
awareness for newcomers about the existance of a large FAQ collection.
Plus it is a nice regular refresher for oldtimers, too.

>It makes the newsgroup harder to read and they are never relevant.

If you personally don't like them it is easy enough to filter them,
either by sender or by "FAQ" at the beginning of the title. That's why
they have a fixed sender and title format.

>It's basically spam. If the person doesn't google the question before
>posting then they sure as hell aren't going to search the group.

No, they won't. And nobody would expect them to, either.
But because 2 FAQ entries are posted daily they will see numerous of
those postings before writing to the NG and hopefully get the idea to
check the FAQ for their problem first.

>unless the correct answer to the question is on the groups active
>discussion page,

What do you mean by "active discussion page"?

> it really is a waste of space and bandwidth.

IMO its a good use of space and bandwith.

jue

Posted by Ben Bullock on May 12, 2008, 9:35 am
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On Mon, 12 May 2008 02:41:43 -0700, Philluminati wrote:

> Honestly, what is the point of posting this? It really doesn't help.

I find the FAQ posts quite helpful. It is a reminder of the contents for
everyone, and also a chance to check and keep the FAQ information up to
date.

> It
> makes the newsgroup harder to read and they are never relevant.

Actually they are often relevant. There are often questions asked here
(such as the recent thread from today) which are in the Perl FAQ.

> It's basically spam.

That's exaggeration.

> If the person doesn't google the question before posting
> then they sure as hell aren't going to search the group.

Perhaps we can hope for improvement though. If it isn't worth trying to
educate people, then why even bother with the newsgroup?

> So unless the
> correct answer to the question is on the groups active discussion page,
> it really is a waste of space and bandwidth.

Space and bandwidth are quite cheap these days. One five minute Youtube
video probably uses more space and bandwidth than a year of the Perl FAQ.

Posted by szr on May 12, 2008, 12:54 pm
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Philluminati wrote:
[...]
>> These postings aim to reduce the number of repeated questions
>> as well as allow the community to review and update the answers.
[...]
> Honestly, what is the point of posting this?

You quoted the answer to your own question. If you don't want to read
them (which would be your loss), then skip and move on to what you
prefer to read.

--
szr



Posted by David Combs on June 8, 2008, 4:55 pm
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>Philluminati wrote:
>[...]
>>> These postings aim to reduce the number of repeated questions
>>> as well as allow the community to review and update the answers.
>[...]
>> Honestly, what is the point of posting this?
>
>You quoted the answer to your own question. If you don't want to read
>them (which would be your loss), then skip and move on to what you
>prefer to read.
>
>--
>szr
>
>

And I repeat an earlier comment -- GET YOURSELF A DECENT NEWSREADER,
and with it FOREVER CONSIGN these faq-posts to your own bit-bucket.

Just because YOU don't like something doesn't mean that YOU get
to deprive everyone else of it!


And about "decent newsreaders", the said delete-these-subjects
features are DESIGNED for use by people precicely like you --
so GET ONE AND USE IT, and your life here on clpm will be
far happier.


David



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