General newsgroup

[Guest]

What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings. To me
and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it mean
to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

 

[Joe Grover]

This group is for general questions regarding the use of, operation of, and
problems with the Windows XP operating system. Problems that occur within
specific applications are typically directed towards the appropriate group,
if available. For example, receiving Windows system errors when booting,
having problems with display settings, etc, are asked here, while getting an
error when launching Outlook Express would be better asked in the Outlook
Express group, issues with Internet Explorer errors are better asked in the
Internet Explorer group, and so on.

Basically if you can narrow your problem down to a particular thing--such as
your .NET question, or knowing you installed IE7 when a problem
occurred--and there is a newsgroup for that thing, that's the first place
you should go. If there are no groups that seem to deal with your problem,
then you can try to fall back here.

Joe

 

[Curt Christianson]

Hi James,

While I generally agree with you (and the rest) *my* definition of "general"
in this NG is slightly diferrent. AFAIK, general means any topic that does
*not* have a more specific newsgroup where a question might be posed
instead. A couple of examples would be questions about Windows Update
problems, or another one about Outlook Express. Many times there are
answers in both the specific and "general" NG's.

I don't believe anyone is intentionally chastising you, but rather just
trying to steer you somewhere you mind find help a little quicker, or
perhaps more experts on that subject a little faster.

--
HTH,
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm

| What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
| numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings. To me
| and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it
mean
| to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings.

Nobody should rebuke or chastise you for posting to the wrong group
(although an occasional person here is rude), but people are likely to
point out a better place to ask.

To me
and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it mean
to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

"General" doesn't really mean "all-encompassing" here. It means "not
covered elsewhere."

Anything about Windows XP (not some application that runs beneath it)
where there isn't a more specific newsgroup to ask is appropriate
here. For example, even though Internet Explorer is part of Windows,
there is a separate Internet Explorer newsgroup. The IE experts tend
to hang out in the IE newsgroup, so if you ask such questions there
instead of here, you are likely to get better help.

 

[C.Joseph Drayton]

What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings. To me
and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it mean
to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

Hi James,

You ask a very good question. I have been chastised in other
groups for the same reason.

Here in m.s.w.g, the rule of thumb is that the question
should be 'directly' related to the WindowsXP operating system.

The problem of course is that for a lot of computer 'users',
they do not 'know' if the problem is OS related or
application related. Then of course there are problems that
are OS related but will effect specific applications.

What I tend to do is assume that the problem is application
related unless there is a compelling reason for me to
believe it must be OS related. For example if I have the
identical problem in a couple of different applications I
may then look at it being OS related.

What's funny though is that I consider Internet Explorer to
be a separate application. A lot of people here don't and
have no problem with questions about it.

As to the rude talk here. You have to realize how
frustrating it is to have the same questions asked over and
over again. Or people who DEMAND help but don't give them
enough information to make even an informed guess. As you
read through this group, you will see that there are about 2
dozen major contributors if you consider how much the
contribute, and little impatience and frustration should be
humored <LOL>.

Ciao . . . C.Joseph

"A promise is nothing more than an attempt,
to respond to an unreasonable request."

http://blog.tlerma.com/
(A Windows professional's view of entering the Linux world)

 

[Rock]

What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings. To me
and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it
mean
to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

Out of curiosity I did a Google Groups search for posts by you in the
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general newsgroup, under your current posting
name, from 1/1/07 to the present. I found four threads, including this one
One was in May, reference a problem with IE7. You received one response
which resolved the issue. You weren't redirected to any other newsgroup.

You made another post just a few days ago about difficulty with installing
..Net Framework 1.1. Two folks replied. One gave you a link to an article to
look at. The other offered info on what the error you were getting normally
means, which can be taken as a direction to a solution, and suggested you
could try posting to some other appropriate newsgroups. He gave you a links
to two possible groups.

You made one post on June 1 about the same topic as this current thread. In
that you phrased things differently, just asking what questions are
appropriate for the general newsgroup. You received four replies providing
the same info that has again been presented in this thread.

Now you post the same thing again, but this time state you "always get
rebuked and chastised for my postings.".

Unless you are posting under a different name, this Google search doesn't
support that contention. Frankly, I don't see where you are coming from
with this post.

To add to what others have said, one can post a question in whatever
newsgroup you want. But it's worthwhile to post to a group that is
appropriate for the subject matter, and an important issue is where you are
most likely to receive the best help. Most posters in here, if they know
the answer, will give it to you along with possibly a suggestion on where to
post in the future for that topic. If the poster doesn't know they might be
very helpful and post an actual the link to a recommended location to look
for info, or they might just suggest you go to an "XYZ" newsgroup. All are
reasonable ways of answering what might be called an "off topic" or OT post.

Some can be more sharp than others in how they phrase this, but most try to
be helpful in directing the OP to the best place.

Certain apps are installed with the XP OS, for example Outlook Express and
Internet Explorer. So posting questions about them here is certainly
appropriate, and many such questions, as was the case with one of yours
about IE7, was answered here. But there are specific newsgroups for these
items, so if the person who replies doesn't know, they very well might refer
you to that specific newsgroup.

For IE, XP comes with version 6. IE7 is an update, so one could make the
argument that IE6 questions are ok here , but IE7 should go elsewhere.
That's hair splitting and not what these groups are about. It's about users
helping users resolve problems.

I think you might want to take a closer look at this issue, and not take
offense at attempts by users to help by redirecting an inquiry elsewhere

 

[Paul]

What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings. To me
and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it
mean
to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

You have gotten good answers to this message both now and from the message
on about June 1. But I was also facinated by your call it the "General
Newsgroup". From my point of view, this is the USENET newsgroup
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general.

One can read the newsgroups through any nntp: protocol newsreader. One such
newsreader is included in Microsoft Outlook Express. This is the one I
happen to use, but my understanding is that there are better ones.

I realize there are several web-based interfaces to this group including
from Microsoft's site and Google groups. But I had not seen one that would
indicate this was "General Newsgroup". But then I discovered a web-based
interface on www.windowskb.com that when open up a message (for example your
thread), gives the title at the top "General Newsgroup". In also includes
higher on the page some indication that it is a Windows XP group.

My opinion is the same as one of the other responses: You post a message in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general if you have a question about Windows XP
that does not belong in another microsoft.public.windowsxp.* group. As they
say in other messages, questions about other products should be in a group
that is appropriate to the product.

So this leads to my question back to you:
How do you interface to the USENET newsgroups including
nntp://microsoft.public.windowsxp.general?

Paul

 

[PA Bear]

Out of curiosity I did a Google Groups search for posts by you in the
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general newsgroup, under your current posting
name, from 1/1/07 to the present. I found four threads, including this
one
One was in May, reference a problem with IE7. You received one response
which resolved the issue. You weren't redirected to any other newsgroup.

You made another post just a few days ago about difficulty with installing
.Net Framework 1.1. Two folks replied. One gave you a link to an article
to
look at. The other offered info on what the error you were getting
normally
means, which can be taken as a direction to a solution, and suggested you
could try posting to some other appropriate newsgroups. He gave you a
links
to two possible groups.

You made one post on June 1 about the same topic as this current thread.
In
that you phrased things differently, just asking what questions are
appropriate for the general newsgroup. You received four replies
providing
the same info that has again been presented in this thread.

Now you post the same thing again, but this time state you "always get
rebuked and chastised for my postings.".

Unless you are posting under a different name, this Google search doesn't
support that contention. Frankly, I don't see where you are coming from
with this post.

To add to what others have said, one can post a question in whatever
newsgroup you want. But it's worthwhile to post to a group that is
appropriate for the subject matter, and an important issue is where you
are
most likely to receive the best help. Most posters in here, if they know
the answer, will give it to you along with possibly a suggestion on where
to
post in the future for that topic. If the poster doesn't know they might
be
very helpful and post an actual the link to a recommended location to look
for info, or they might just suggest you go to an "XYZ" newsgroup. All
are
reasonable ways of answering what might be called an "off topic" or OT
post.

Some can be more sharp than others in how they phrase this, but most try
to
be helpful in directing the OP to the best place.

Certain apps are installed with the XP OS, for example Outlook Express and
Internet Explorer. So posting questions about them here is certainly
appropriate, and many such questions, as was the case with one of yours
about IE7, was answered here. But there are specific newsgroups for these
items, so if the person who replies doesn't know, they very well might
refer
you to that specific newsgroup.

For IE, XP comes with version 6. IE7 is an update, so one could make the
argument that IE6 questions are ok here , but IE7 should go elsewhere.
That's hair splitting and not what these groups are about. It's about
users
helping users resolve problems.

I think you might want to take a closer look at this issue, and not take
offense at attempts by users to help by redirecting an inquiry elsewhere.

<applause>

All newsgroup posts by this OP:
http://groups.google.com/groups/search?q=jamrswmorgsn&start=0&scoring=d&hl=en

 

[Lil' Dave]

What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings. To me
and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it
mean
to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

Doesn't matter what anyone participating in the newsgroup thinks, its what
the administrator for this particular newsgroup thinks. He/she decides
whether your post can be allowed without deletion.

A redirect, by a respondent, to a more specialized newsgroup is not
considered a form of chastisement.

Some ask actual msdos specific questions.
Win98/ME questions.
Bios questions.
3rd party software questions.
MS application questions
MS programs integral to XP questions (Outlook Express for example).
Hardware specific questions.
Combination of any of the above questions.

I don't care. I just want specific detail enough for an appropriate and
specific response. Alot of responses I see to general such questions are
based on expected conditions of respondents's expections. Full of holes for
readers with similar but not same/identical conditions. Guess what the
nonparticipant readers are doing after reading such?

Dave

 

[Plato]

What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings. To me
and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it mean
to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

You have to read a newsgroup for time to see who really takes the hobby
seriously and those that just post in them just to make trouble for new
poster's questions. Personally, I take the hobby seriously but I am
often rude and curt but that's just my personality. Dont take any
responses you dont like seriously, it's just a newsgroup that ANYBODY
can post in, even me. With time, you will learn what people you can
trust that are really trying to help. In this group, the MS MVPs take
their hobby VERY seriously. And then people who are just have nothing
else to do with their life but cause trouble.

Personally, I use and visit USEnet groups because I can find lots of
potential answers to help me with my job to help me fix PCs on the
road/house visites, and find links to my webpages that will help
others.

 

[PA Bear]

message


Doesn't matter what anyone participating in the newsgroup thinks, its what
the administrator for this particular newsgroup thinks. He/she decides
whether your post can be allowed without deletion.

Sorry, but this is not a Moderated newsgroup and there is no Admin here.

 

[Curt Christianson]

Bear, You didn't hear about my promotion?? <BG>
Talk about the "blind leading the blind....."

--
HTH,
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm

| Sorry, but this is not a Moderated newsgroup and there is no Admin here.
| --
| ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
| MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
| AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org
|

 

[PA Bear]

<thwack>

Bear, You didn't hear about my promotion?? <BG>
Talk about the "blind leading the blind....."

 

[mikeyhsd]

did our net nanny roxanne also check to see if diaper needed changing and whether burping was needed after feeding.

its amazing the amount of time people spend to try and appear smart.



(e-mail address removed)

What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings. To me
and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it
mean
to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

Out of curiosity I did a Google Groups search for posts by you in the
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general newsgroup, under your current posting
name, from 1/1/07 to the present. I found four threads, including this one
One was in May, reference a problem with IE7. You received one response
which resolved the issue. You weren't redirected to any other newsgroup.

You made another post just a few days ago about difficulty with installing
.Net Framework 1.1. Two folks replied. One gave you a link to an article to
look at. The other offered info on what the error you were getting normally
means, which can be taken as a direction to a solution, and suggested you
could try posting to some other appropriate newsgroups. He gave you a links
to two possible groups.

You made one post on June 1 about the same topic as this current thread. In
that you phrased things differently, just asking what questions are
appropriate for the general newsgroup. You received four replies providing
the same info that has again been presented in this thread.

Now you post the same thing again, but this time state you "always get
rebuked and chastised for my postings.".

Unless you are posting under a different name, this Google search doesn't
support that contention. Frankly, I don't see where you are coming from
with this post.

To add to what others have said, one can post a question in whatever
newsgroup you want. But it's worthwhile to post to a group that is
appropriate for the subject matter, and an important issue is where you are
most likely to receive the best help. Most posters in here, if they know
the answer, will give it to you along with possibly a suggestion on where to
post in the future for that topic. If the poster doesn't know they might be
very helpful and post an actual the link to a recommended location to look
for info, or they might just suggest you go to an "XYZ" newsgroup. All are
reasonable ways of answering what might be called an "off topic" or OT post.

Some can be more sharp than others in how they phrase this, but most try to
be helpful in directing the OP to the best place.

Certain apps are installed with the XP OS, for example Outlook Express and
Internet Explorer. So posting questions about them here is certainly
appropriate, and many such questions, as was the case with one of yours
about IE7, was answered here. But there are specific newsgroups for these
items, so if the person who replies doesn't know, they very well might refer
you to that specific newsgroup.

For IE, XP comes with version 6. IE7 is an update, so one could make the
argument that IE6 questions are ok here , but IE7 should go elsewhere.
That's hair splitting and not what these groups are about. It's about users
helping users resolve problems.

I think you might want to take a closer look at this issue, and not take
offense at attempts by users to help by redirecting an inquiry elsewhere

 

[PD43]

its amazing the amount of time people spend to try and appear smart.

(e-mail address removed)

It's amazing how little time others need to prove their stupidity.

I don't know about the others here, but I'm definitely questioning the
credibility of someone called "mikey". "Mikey" is either a kid, or an
adult who never grew up.

 

[Curt Christianson]

I can only speak for myself, but if it weren't for the MVP's, and that
includes Rock, and a lot of other knowledgable souls in these NG's, I'd
still be trying to find the power switch on this machine.

Give *all* the guys/gals a break here--they are only trying to help.
You appear to be a smart guy--wise up and start giving some *real* help
here, while keeping your mind open to the idea that some of our pet theories
or practices that we've carried around and nurtured for all these years may
be a bunch of *BUNK* !

--
HTH,
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm

did our net nanny roxanne also check to see if diaper needed changing and
whether burping was needed after feeding.

its amazing the amount of time people spend to try and appear smart.



(e-mail address removed)

What questions are deemed proper for the "General Newsgroup" I have posted
numerous times and always get rebuked and chastised for my postings. To me
and Webster and Cambridge "General means all encompassing. What does it
mean
to the people on this Newsgroup? What kind of rule do you apply? James

Out of curiosity I did a Google Groups search for posts by you in the
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general newsgroup, under your current posting
name, from 1/1/07 to the present. I found four threads, including this
one
One was in May, reference a problem with IE7. You received one response
which resolved the issue. You weren't redirected to any other newsgroup.

You made another post just a few days ago about difficulty with installing
.Net Framework 1.1. Two folks replied. One gave you a link to an article
to
look at. The other offered info on what the error you were getting
normally
means, which can be taken as a direction to a solution, and suggested you
could try posting to some other appropriate newsgroups. He gave you a
links
to two possible groups.

You made one post on June 1 about the same topic as this current thread.
In
that you phrased things differently, just asking what questions are
appropriate for the general newsgroup. You received four replies
providing
the same info that has again been presented in this thread.

Now you post the same thing again, but this time state you "always get
rebuked and chastised for my postings.".

Unless you are posting under a different name, this Google search doesn't
support that contention. Frankly, I don't see where you are coming from
with this post.

To add to what others have said, one can post a question in whatever
newsgroup you want. But it's worthwhile to post to a group that is
appropriate for the subject matter, and an important issue is where you
are
most likely to receive the best help. Most posters in here, if they know
the answer, will give it to you along with possibly a suggestion on where
to
post in the future for that topic. If the poster doesn't know they might
be
very helpful and post an actual the link to a recommended location to look
for info, or they might just suggest you go to an "XYZ" newsgroup. All
are
reasonable ways of answering what might be called an "off topic" or OT
post.

Some can be more sharp than others in how they phrase this, but most try
to
be helpful in directing the OP to the best place.

Certain apps are installed with the XP OS, for example Outlook Express and
Internet Explorer. So posting questions about them here is certainly
appropriate, and many such questions, as was the case with one of yours
about IE7, was answered here. But there are specific newsgroups for these
items, so if the person who replies doesn't know, they very well might
refer
you to that specific newsgroup.

For IE, XP comes with version 6. IE7 is an update, so one could make the
argument that IE6 questions are ok here , but IE7 should go elsewhere.
That's hair splitting and not what these groups are about. It's about
users
helping users resolve problems.

I think you might want to take a closer look at this issue, and not take
offense at attempts by users to help by redirecting an inquiry elsewhere