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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / April 2004FAQ it?
I've noticed something since joining this group. Frequently, questions are asked about conditions that, while answered with what it probably is, are also left with encouragement to take the animal to the vet. Generally, a good thing, unless the cat is, say, coughing (possibly dust inhalation, possibly cardiac trouble, VET NOW EITHER WAY!), and also noting that it could take some time before you get a response. Not everyone keeps a constant eye on the NNTP feeds. Also, and seemingly like clockwork, somebody will ask if Hartz products are at all good, only to be met with a resounding "$#|+ NO!". So I got this hoopy idea here to start on a FAQ after finding out there wasn't one on the rtfm.mit.edu FAQ repository. I mean, it wouldn't be a comprehensive FAQ list by any means, but something to give people a few good answers for the archive. Besides, there are a seemingly endless number of items that one could tag as things that could be a problem, let alone an urgent problem. So... thoughts? Anybody? ...Bueller?  SignatureDennis Carr - ke6isf@spamcop.net | I may be out of my mind, http://www.dennis.furtopia.org | But I have more fun that way. ------------------------------------+------------------------------- circa Thu, 08 Apr 2004 22:07:21 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Dennis Carr (ke6isf@spamcop.net) said, > So I got this hoopy idea here to start on a FAQ after finding out there > wasn't one on the rtfm.mit.edu FAQ repository. I mean, it wouldn't be a [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > So... thoughts? Anybody? People who can't even be bothered to scroll through a few days' worth of subject lines to see if their question has been asked recently also are unlikely to bother reading FAQs, in my experience. Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. | People who can't even be bothered to scroll through a few days' worth | of subject lines to see if their question has been asked recently | also are unlikely to bother reading FAQs, in my experience. True enough. The interesting thing about rpch+b is that in all the time I've been following the group, I don't recall ever seeing a post asking for the FAQ (or, if there is one.) In another group I used to follow, which had a seriously high CPQ[*], there was some improvement when one regular started posting a "FAQ pointer" twice a week (no more frequently so as not to run afoul of the BI). It basically consisted of the boilerplate stuff you find at the top of FAQs: where to get the FAQ, related links, etc. Of course, this approach presumes that there is a FAQ to point to. The old rec.pets.cats FAQ set (at either rtfm.mit.edu or www.faqs.org) is quite dated. [*] CPQ: Clueless Poster Quotient > circa Thu, 08 Apr 2004 22:07:21 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > Dennis Carr (ke6isf@spamcop.net) said, > > So I got this hoopy idea here to start on a FAQ [...]> > So... thoughts? Anybody? > People who can't even be bothered to scroll through a few days' worth > of subject lines to see if their question has been asked recently > also are unlikely to bother reading FAQs, in my experience. Then there is the fact that a FAQ gives icky people the power to say "read the FAQ." circa Sat, 10 Apr 2004 17:07:48 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Mary (rosefan@email.com) said, > > People who can't even be bothered to scroll through a few days' > worth [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Then there is the fact that a FAQ gives icky people the > power to say "read the FAQ." Too true. Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. > People who can't even be bothered to scroll through a few days' worth > of subject lines to see if their question has been asked recently > also are unlikely to bother reading FAQs, in my experience. Saw this post after I saw your response to Rona. I see your point. Thing is, too, like Mary said, it could potentially give an excuse to some people to say "Read the @#$%@#! FAQ!", but I also think that's partly the fault of the group there - in my opinion, a FAQ is not an excuse to shy on a user for asking such a question, but more a repository of data. And that, in fact, is more or less what I would want it to be: a repository containing data based on all of our collective experience. I mean, there are pretty obvious reasons you bring kitty to the doctor (say, a fracture or chronic vomiting), but we're also talking stuff that can be treated at home too, perhaps without veterinary help (fleas and the side effects (eg, FAD), certain intestinal parasites, minor cuts and scrapes, hairballs, that sort of thing). I would figure the Pointer FAQ gets posted periodically, and the site sits somewhere out there - either here locally on my machine, or on the 'net, and possibly in the archive on MIT. SignatureDennis Carr - ke6isf@spamcop.net | I may be out of my mind, http://www.dennis.furtopia.org | But I have more fun that way. ------------------------------------+------------------------------- > Thing is, too, like Mary said, it could potentially give an excuse to > some people to say "Read the @#$%@#! FAQ!", but I also think that's partly > the fault of the group there - in my opinion, a FAQ is not an excuse to > shy on a user for asking such a question, but more a repository of data. I think, though, in this particular group, there would be few 'regulars' who would do that. People here rarely even complain about spam and poor netiquette so I can't imagine many would chastise someone for not reading the FAQ before asking a question. Were someone to ask one of the frequently asked questions, I would probably reply with something like, "There is some very good information in the FAQ about that. You can find the FAQ at www.whatevertheaddress.com and then I would probably cut and paste the information in my post, as well. But I would probably only reply if no one else offered any information. As Laura said, people here are pretty mellow (aside from a few personal spats fought in public and certain contentious topics). rona -- "Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and they will piss upon your computer." --Bruce Graham <snip> >...this hoopy idea here to start on a FAQ after finding out there > wasn't one on the rtfm.mit.edu FAQ repository. I mean, it wouldn't be a [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > So... thoughts? Anybody? Generally speaking, I think FAQs should be required when forming ngs. However, I don't consider a FAQ to be a list of answers to questions most frequently asked *in* a newsgroup. It should be included, of course, but there should also be links to related websites--for example a website with the dmb for various foods. There should also be some kind of netiquette reminder--what is or is not acceptable posting behaviour on the group--no html, no advertisements, etc. I've noticed, however, that rpch+b is one of the most easy-going groups when it comes to things like that. No one here seems to mind if people post binaries or html so all that may be moot. I say, if you're willing to do the work (knowing that many or most new posters probably won't even read it) then go for it. I know I always appreciate FAQs and perhaps "old-timers" can use it as a reference. I often remember that someone said something about a certain topic but can't remember specifics. I end up doing a google groups search and wading through many many posts. It would be nice to go to a FAQ first to see if it's there. I would be thankful to you if you did it, for sure! rona -- "Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and they will piss upon your computer." --Bruce Graham circa Sat, 10 Apr 2004 22:22:04 +0900, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Rona Yuthasastrakosol (prasantrin@yahoo.com) said, > <snip> > [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > > rona Good thoughts, Rona. I don't want Dennis to think that posting a FAQ would be worthless or unappreciated; I just think, like you, that it would end up being more useful for the folks who already tend to search archives before posting than for those for whom Dennis intends it. :-) I also think you're right about the relatively easygoing nature of this group when it comes to netiquette. People rarely, if ever, respond to repetitive posts with, "you know, this was just posted two days ago. Why didn't you bother reading the newsgroup before you asked the question again," and I've never really seen anybody get twanged for posting binaries. Gentle nudges to HTML posters, yes, but no real net Nazi behavior, for the most part. Hot buttons (declawing, breeding, animal cruelty) and occasional trolls aside, this group is pretty mellow, IMO. It would probably be good to have an archive/FAQ and to tag informational posts for that. Whenever I see a post with good information in it that I know I'll want to refer to some time in the future, I tag it for my newsreader not to purge it. Perhaps an RPCH&B archive would be useful... Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. > Good thoughts, Rona. I don't want Dennis to think that posting a FAQ > would be worthless or unappreciated; I just think, like you, that it > would end up being more useful for the folks who already tend to > search archives before posting than for those for whom Dennis intends > it. :-) Yessir, in additon to the other problems. > I also think you're right about the relatively easygoing nature of > this group when it comes to netiquette. People rarely, if ever, > respond to repetitive posts with, "you know, this was just posted two > days ago. Why didn't you bother reading the newsgroup before you > asked the question again," I noticed this right away and really appreciate it. Sometimes people don't have time, or just want to cut to the chase. It is easy enough not to answer the questions you don't want to. > I've noticed something since joining this group. > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > ...Bueller? I suggested the same thing for alt.cats a couple of years ago, but I never got it finished - or even really started. Some things that could be covered are: inappropriate elimination declawing ear mites flea and tick control how to choose a vet basic feline care (with links) constipation lack of appetite And probably 1000 other ones I am too tired to think of! -L. > > I've noticed something since joining this group. > > [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > constipation > lack of appetite Introducing a new cat > And probably 1000 other ones I am too tired to think of! > > -L. |
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