[TriLUG] OT: windows firewall

[Tanner Lovelace]

On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 12:31:47 -0400, Dave Sorenson <dave at logicalgeek.com> wrote:
> I have to agree with Chris on this one.. It should be ok to ask questions
> about hardware (batteries being hardware), and proper disposal of batteries
> is a valid issue (kudos to someone who wants to dispose of the batteries
> properly).

Ok, granted on this one.  I only mentioned this one in passing anyway
(it was in parentheses, for pete's sake).
 
> >From the tone of the original windows related post (clearly marked as OT)
> this is a person who uses Linux, understands Linux, but is being required by
> external forces to use Windows. He is respectfully turning to a source of
> knowledge where he is comfortable asking questions. Maybe he does not
> frequent windows only lists because he does not use windows? As such maybe
> he is not sure if he can get a timely, relevant answer? Why should a
> respectfully submitted question draw rebuke especially when the author marks
> it as off topic and respectfully submits it to begin with?

Dave, go back and read my message again.  The question was entirely
not appropriate for the list and I replied respectfully and politely.  I didn't
tell the poster to go stuff it or anything like that.  What I said was:
 
"Might I suggest asking a more appropriate forum like[...]"

and proceeded to give several places where I thought the question *would*
be on topic.  Not content to leave it at that, though, I even made a suggestion
of how to make the question on topic:

"Or, if you want to make it relevant to this list, put a linux box
in front of it and direct the appropriate connections to the
windows box."

If that meets your standard of a "rebuke", you must be extremely
thin-skinned.

> Many of the people on the list have to use various operating systems in
> their work and as such can be a valuable source of knowledge. To ban actual
> computer related questions will only stunt the usefulness of this list. I
> agree the main topic should focus on Linux software and issues, But this
> post is still valuable (and marked clearly OT enough) for me not to object
> to it's posting. In fact it is more relevant than the recent political
> postings and a large number of other recent topics.

Sure, it is actually a computer related topic. But, it's still not 
appropriate for this list.  There are many ways it could be made 
appropriate and if any one of them had been attempted, I would have
absolutely no problem with the post.  But, asking for a windows program
on a linux list is not appropriate and I, for one, refuse to give it a
free pass,
especially when I know the person involved and know him to be fairly
clueful.

> Mark this post as off topic as well, but I think Trilug leadership needs to
> step up and address the sniping taking place on the list of late. We need to
> civilly discuss issues and not quell honest Linux/ Linux users questions.

Sniping?  Please explain.  Asking people to stay on topic, especially
when done in (what I thought was) a respectful manner is not sniping.

Tanner Lovelace