Archive Searches - Suggested Approaches

[David Curry]

Gustavo Seabra wrote:

>On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 10:51:56 -0500, David Curry <dsccable at comcast.net> wrote:
>  
>
>>fedora-list archives contain a tremendous amount of information relevant
>>to each fedora distribution or release.  Retrieving that informaiton has
>>proven problematic if one relies, or attempts to rely, on fedora-list
>>archive search engine.  SNIP
>>
>>    
>>
>
>There has been a recent discussion about "list rules", and one of the
>points discussed are list archives. Apparently, although MARC has a
>good search engine, it fails in sorting the messages by subject, not
>by reference, which leads to boken threads when someone makes small
>changes to the subject. In this case, there's also the gmane archives,
>which seem to have a good search engine, and to preserve the threads. 
>The compilation (**NOT up-to-date**) of the draft list rules being
>developed, that has links to the various archives, can be found here:
>
>http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~seabra/linux/FedoraRules.html
>
>(scroll down to "part 2: useful resources" to find archives.)
>
>  
>
I'm very much aware of the effort you and Duncan Lithgow have put 
forward, Gustavo, and James McKenzie before you.  Comments were tendered 
to both you and James.

The thread titled, "Don't Waste Time on Fedora Mailing List Archive 
Searches - Search Engine Broken" was in part attributable to what I read 
on my first visit to your web page.  Continuation of the same theme with 
the current thread is also partly attributable to the absence of change 
in the draft Unofficial
list rules.  Belief that a sizeable share of new subscribers will only 
read what they see on the list also prompts the current thread.  Some 
such subscribers will only subscribe after they encounter a problem or 
two and look for help.

My concern over the absence of change referred to in the preceeding 
paragraph is twofold -- archive searches and direction to local system 
documentation.  Part 2 overlooks (ignores) comments I have made on those 
two subjects in response to the unofficial guide thread and the two 
threads on archive search that I initiated.  And that is fine.  It is 
your perogative to accept or reject comments I offer regarding your web 
page.  It is my perogative to continue trying in my own fashion to help 
both newcomers to the list and those fedora experts contributing their 
time and energy to help others solve their technical puzzles. 

Regarding fedora-list archive searches, your unofficial guide lists 
"Official archive from Redhat" first, then lists two other access 
points.  I regard pointing anyone to Redhat official archives as a 
disservice unless that pointer warns them about the official archive's 
erractic, non-functional search engine.

The "Getting Help from your System" section in  Part 2 of your 
unofficial guide also overlooks a significant source of local 
documentation stored in /usr/share/doc.

cheers,

Dave