Re: [exim] Why is this list so abusive?

On 2006-04-24, Jason Meers <Jason.Meers@???> wrote:

> Are we saying that providing a reference (with or without the F word) is
> preferred over providing a more detailed answer because it's
> counter-productive and doesn't "teach a man to fish"?

I don't think it's that exactly; see below for my theory.

> I think I'm helping someone when I solve their problem, and wonder why
> other people who no the answer don't provide it.

It depends on what you mean by "know the answer".

If someone asks how-to question and you've already done the same
thing, you can easily answer by copying and pasting from your own
config file or notes. That's an easy way to give a precise, full
answer.

If you haven't done it in a way that's suitable for copying and
pasting, you probably don't have time or energy to work out the full
answer, but you might know exactly where in the documentation to tell
him or her to start, or what the actual term is (jargon, variable
name, expansion function) for the thing he needs.