Conference misery::feline_v1

              <<< VAXWRK::$1$DUS6:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FELINE.NOTE;1 >>>
                               -< Meower Power >-
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Note 4620.6              QUESTIONS ON MODERATING POLICY                  6 of 18
WR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JO "set home/cat_max=infinity"     27 lines   7-MAY-1991 14:33
                      -< Using next unseen to read notes >-
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    Using the "next unseen" command to read notes would mean that any note
    in this conference would be seen during a session of reading Feline,
    regardless of whether that note was a new topic, or a reply to an
    existing topic.  When you read notes using "next unseen", you will see
    every entry into this file, in order of the time it was entered.
    
    Next unseen is the comma key (,) or paste key on your keypad on most
    keyboards.  If you haven't read notes using this method in the past,
    you may want to issue a set seen command first.  This will mark all the
    notes prior to the date that you choose as "seen", and will not pull
    them up when you use the next unseen command.  Since this file was
    created in 1984 or thereabouts, this might be a desireable thing to do.
    
    For example, if you wanted to start reading notes using next unseen,
    and wanted to mark any notes entered prior to January 1, 1991 as seen,
    you would type the following command:
    
    notes> set seen/before=01-jan-1991
    
    Then, when you used the next unseen key to read notes, the first note
    you would come to would be the first one entered on January 1st, 1991. 
    From there you could continue to use next unseen until all new notes
    had been read.  Eventually you would get to a point were you were
    reading only the notes entered that day, since you would have seen
    everything else.
    
    Jo

    
    Personally, I feel that such a topic is definitely inappropriate for
    this notes conference but then, I'm not one of it's moderators nor do I
    host the file on my machine.  
    
    A more appropriate place for "how to" questions for beginners is the
    notes file TRUCKS::NOTES_HELP  where absolutely ooodles of "how to" 
    questions have already been answered. (And they don't make you feel
    stupid for asking beginner type questions either!)
    
    This notes file is located in the UK, however, and those who are not
    accustomed to accessing conferences on another continent might find 
    the network lag a bit annoying.
    
    LaDonna

	The .1 reply assumes the notes interface as provided for access by
	VMS, and not the interface provided with ALL-IN-1, where to read
	an unseen note, you:

	SEL  the conference,
	
	then

	RU   read unseen.     


	etc., etc,

	Heather

	The US version of NOTES_HELP is located at OASS::VAXNOTES_INTRO

	Press KP7 to select this conference.

    Re:  .2
    
    I'm not a moderator of this conference either but, if this topic helps
    people in learning to use this file a little more efficiently and
    takes some of the training load off of the moderators then, I don't
    understand how it can be inappropriate.                         
    
    Jan

    
    re: .5 
    
    It is inappropriate because 1) it has absolutely _nothing_ to do with 
    cats and 2) *training* people how to use the tool is NOT within a
    moderator's responsibility.  The responsibility for learning how to 
    use the tool is the users'.  If someone uses notes incorrectly and
    causes a problem with the file (say, using "write" instead of "reply")
    then this can be briefly pointed out to the user the they can be
    pointed to somewhere they can learn more about the correct use of the 
    tool. 
    
    If moderators have spent time helping people to learn how to use notes
    in the past, then (in my opinion) this was done as a favour, out of the 
    kindness of their hearts and because the time was available to do the 
    favour.  This is obviously no longer the case. People are going to have
    to go look in the right places to find the information they want and
    spend some time training themselves rather than take advantage of the
    good natures of the moderators. (I equate this with users who can't be
    bothered to read product documentation and phone up support to ask how
    to do something.)
    
    But as I said before, I'm not a moderator of this conference, the file 
    takes up zero blocks on any machine of mine and with liberal use of the
    "next unseen" key this topic will cause me no problems at all.
    
    LaDonna
    
                 
    

    This topic was started at the request of some other noters.  Not
    everyone is technically oriented and the moderators need a break.
    
    I think we can agree to try looking in the NOTES_HELP file first
    and use this as a last resort.  
    
    This note is turning into a debate on its appropriateness.  Is there
    some way to take this offline please.  I'd hate to see this note
    cluttered up before it even gets started.
    
    Thanks
      Nancy
    

AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!  OK, timeout!!  Not everyone who partakes of Notes at
Digital is an tech weenie (sorry, tech weenies) nor do many of us know how
to add other conferences or negotiate their way thru them.  So if there is
a way in which we can aid our fellow FELINErs in making the use of Notes
easier, then that's fine.  There are numerous notes in here that are not of
interest to many of us, and this note just might be one of them.  So when
you come to this note, hit your NEXT UNSEEN and go on.  If you have a question
about using Notes and the more knowledgeable readership can answer, then so
be it.

OK, now, let's all scratch each other under the chin or behind the ears and
get back to our kitties!!

Your slightly frazzled co-moderator, 
Mary