Comments for Blog Fiasco http://blog.funnelfiasco.com The world's only(?) weather/sports/sysadmin/high-performance computing/high-throughput computing blog Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:45:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on How do you solve a problem like Pete Rose? by John http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=692&cpage=1#comment-9201 John Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:45:26 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=692#comment-9201 That last sentence is really the most important one, here. The Hall of Fame is clearly not about honoring great human beings; if it was, then Ty Cobb, Tom Yawkey and countless others would be excluded. Rose and Shoeless Joe both deserve to be inducted. That last sentence is really the most important one, here. The Hall of Fame is clearly not about honoring great human beings; if it was, then Ty Cobb, Tom Yawkey and countless others would be excluded. Rose and Shoeless Joe both deserve to be inducted.

]]> Comment on Beonard’s Losers — 2010, Week 1 by bcotton http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=704&cpage=1#comment-9196 bcotton Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:01:23 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=704#comment-9196 Ugh, you're absolutely right. I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that, but it's been corrected. Ugh, you’re absolutely right. I don’t know what I was thinking when I wrote that, but it’s been corrected.

]]> Comment on Beonard’s Losers — 2010, Week 1 by gizmomathboy http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=704&cpage=1#comment-9195 gizmomathboy Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:19:50 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=704#comment-9195 Ben, you know better than MSU being Romans, different peninsula. Sparta weeps are your lack of geographic purity. ;-) Ben, you know better than MSU being Romans, different peninsula.

Sparta weeps are your lack of geographic purity. ;-)

]]> Comment on It’s beginning to look a lot like LISA by Tweets that mention It’s beginning to look a lot like LISA « Blog Fiasco -- Topsy.com http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=711&cpage=1#comment-9189 Tweets that mention It’s beginning to look a lot like LISA « Blog Fiasco -- Topsy.com Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:35:52 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=711#comment-9189 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Matt Simmons, Ben Cotton. Ben Cotton said: New blog post: It's beginning to look a lot like #LISA10 http://bit.ly/aowAOL [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Matt Simmons, Ben Cotton. Ben Cotton said: New blog post: It's beginning to look a lot like #LISA10 http://bit.ly/aowAOL [...]

]]> Comment on A quick summary of green-er computing by Lily Walker http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=604&cpage=1#comment-9188 Lily Walker Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:06:47 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=604#comment-9188 the environmental news these days are full of man-made disasters like oil spills""* the environmental news these days are full of man-made disasters like oil spills”"*

]]> Comment on How helpful is helpful enough? by Karsten 'quaid' Wade http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=675&cpage=1#comment-9169 Karsten 'quaid' Wade Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:18:02 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=675#comment-9169 One of the great things about being part of a project (such as the Fedora Project!), the group is there to share the helping. However, this is harder for newer users who have questions that are best addressed with hands-on support. This has often been supported by the local user group with installfests and such. Installation is much easier these days, so the installfests are fewer, but the local-based support is still valuable. If you have one other person and yourself, you have a LUG. You could contact the gent and say that the best way to help each other is to both show up to the local LUG, or start it yourself if it doesn't exist. Start a mailinglist, pick a day once a month, find a location with power and wifi, and learn together. This creates something that is scalable -- others can be invited, they can all help you help each other. For you, you get to address your desire to help people but in a way that you can contain it enough to not go more insane. :) If you haven't started a group like this, it's much easier than you might have thought. It's really as straightforward as I said above: 1. Start mailing list, announce wherever you can that makes sense (put up flyers at library or computer stores, etc.) 2. Propose and choose a time on the mailing list, including reasons why, etc. (even if it's only you on the list, the historical record is set so others can learn your thinking without having to ask you.) In this case, try to make a time you and the other person in your story can meet. 3. Just keep showing up every month, and use the mailing list and word of mouth to grow the group. Just as with your work on Fedora support channels, it's another way where helping one person can end up helping countless others. One of the great things about being part of a project (such as the Fedora Project!), the group is there to share the helping.

However, this is harder for newer users who have questions that are best addressed with hands-on support. This has often been supported by the local user group with installfests and such. Installation is much easier these days, so the installfests are fewer, but the local-based support is still valuable.

If you have one other person and yourself, you have a LUG. You could contact the gent and say that the best way to help each other is to both show up to the local LUG, or start it yourself if it doesn’t exist. Start a mailinglist, pick a day once a month, find a location with power and wifi, and learn together.

This creates something that is scalable — others can be invited, they can all help you help each other. For you, you get to address your desire to help people but in a way that you can contain it enough to not go more insane. :)

If you haven’t started a group like this, it’s much easier than you might have thought. It’s really as straightforward as I said above:

1. Start mailing list, announce wherever you can that makes sense (put up flyers at library or computer stores, etc.)

2. Propose and choose a time on the mailing list, including reasons why, etc. (even if it’s only you on the list, the historical record is set so others can learn your thinking without having to ask you.) In this case, try to make a time you and the other person in your story can meet.

3. Just keep showing up every month, and use the mailing list and word of mouth to grow the group.

Just as with your work on Fedora support channels, it’s another way where helping one person can end up helping countless others.

]]> Comment on The first few weeks with the N900, part 1 by  Melatonin http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=447&cpage=1#comment-9168  Melatonin Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:46:51 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=447#comment-9168 an RCA cable with shielded wire is the best way to connect A/V devices.,* an RCA cable with shielded wire is the best way to connect A/V devices.,*

]]> Comment on How helpful is helpful enough? by Tweets that mention How helpful is helpful enough? « Blog Fiasco -- Topsy.com http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=675&cpage=1#comment-9167 Tweets that mention How helpful is helpful enough? « Blog Fiasco -- Topsy.com Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:35:12 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=675#comment-9167 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Planet Fedora, Ben Cotton. Ben Cotton said: New blog post: How helpful is helpful enough? http://bit.ly/cxALAU [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Planet Fedora, Ben Cotton. Ben Cotton said: New blog post: How helpful is helpful enough? http://bit.ly/cxALAU [...]

]]> Comment on How helpful is helpful enough? by natxo asenjo http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=675&cpage=1#comment-9166 natxo asenjo Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:34:02 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=675#comment-9166 just think of it like you got a business card from somebody. What do you do with business cards you get? Charging for your time is not a crazy idea. Maybe you can work out a trade, you do this for me, I'll help you with your pc. I do this with my neighbour ;-), both are happy about the trade. just think of it like you got a business card from somebody. What do you do with business cards you get?

Charging for your time is not a crazy idea. Maybe you can work out a trade, you do this for me, I’ll help you with your pc. I do this with my neighbour ;-) , both are happy about the trade.

]]> Comment on How helpful is helpful enough? by Andy http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=675&cpage=1#comment-9165 Andy Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:27:34 +0000 http://blog.funnelfiasco.com/?p=675#comment-9165 I would suggest introducing him to those very resources you already contribute to. Linuxforums.com especially (even ubuntuforums.org). I know how easy it is to fall into the trap of becoming the go-to guy, but the real trick is knowing how to get out of it. I would suggest introducing him to those very resources you already contribute to. Linuxforums.com especially (even ubuntuforums.org). I know how easy it is to fall into the trap of becoming the go-to guy, but the real trick is knowing how to get out of it.

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