ok... i've just reminded what seems like the thousandth newbie to include the "load "glx"" line in XF86Config.

maybe it would help if there was a way for members to post general help instructions on common problems, and then direct newbies to those pages. a lot of newbies have problems installing the opengl libraries for example, and most of the time it's just a problem with the X version they have, or they forget to load it. same thing for winmodems, or other very common hang-ups.

Same goes for the Netgear Fa311 problems as well.
I suggest a LARGE welcome massage that says....
1 Search before you ask
2 Don't post in multiple forums
3 If no-one replies give it a couple of bumps, then RTFM and try again


Up to Root though

yeah... there should be a huge banner that says "RTFM" above every new post that's being made...

unfortunately, some problems aren't included in the manual, like the glx problem. you have to do some web searching before you find that tidbit.

Isajera

"Newbies" know Nil

xf86 config????

Just worked for me! How is another question.

Winmodem???
Buy a proper one. That's what I did, setting up what I had was too tricky.

CDRecord.
Still no go. I need more stuff from sourceforge ( hp7200 driver). I think.

I'm at 160 posts and I feel my knowledge insults member status.
Newbie is a word that applies to all of us in some way. Even Jeremy (or trickyleader) learns something new everyday.

Trust me, I AM a Doctor.
Jim

i'm not trying to imply infallibility check the programming forum... i left there with my tail between my legs after crabboy slapped me down hard. i'm a decent programmer, but i'm still learning new stuff everyday. everytime i think i've got something down, i find there's more to it than it had thought.

the only reason i'm able to help anyone here is because i've made the same mistakes already... usually multiple times. but, that's the whole point of this site.

You still know more than I do about programming/computers etc. Admittedly I could save your/anyones life, but anyone could understand it. Unlike C++ etc.
Jim

That and a library/link page. There's good online books for DNS, Apache, Samba, and many others. Links to them would be nice.

Also - a page (or TEN) of "Common misconceptions/mistakes". Number 1 on the list would have to be the root-root-root ("/", root, "/root") debacle. Number 2 would have to be "mcleodnine sure is perty!". It's a mistake many people have made.

Maybe Jeremy should harness the unmitigated power behind 'click-through' licensing and have each email for new sign-ons include links to "Please don't cross-post" (nod: drJim), "Bookmark the FAQ page and RTFM" (nod:isajera). Add a warning that failure to comply may result in a massive assualt of personal and professional flames. Or maybe hide their coffee cups.

I like the idea of adding a few "suggestions" to the signup page. I will do this ASAP. There is a link on the bottom of every page that links to the "links" section of the site. I have an online bookstore that I will link to also. There is also a Linux FAQ section in the works. Stay tuned!

first off, we were all newbies once (and still are)... in a forum like this, i don't think repeated questions can be avoided.

it would also be nice for the graphics program makers to put these "prerequisites" in the installation file so that questions like this can be avoided.

i ALWAYS search for answers to my questions before i post here, yet linuxquestions is a site to ask questions, isn't it?

one never really knows if it's a general question or not.. it could be specific to someone's machine (it might have worked fine for some people --ahem-- but it doesn't work for everyone).

why isn't the load glx in the XF86Config file by default anyway?

RTFM isn't always the answer, sometimes you can't you have no idea what it is that you even trying to ask.

But then agin there are times when it is clearly obvious that you are helping someone sho hasn't made the slightest attempt to check things out for themseslves.

The thing that gets me the most are people who double post. If someone isn't sure where to post, it should go under general linux. This is my opinion on double posting...
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...highlight=post

punt -
that's true... repeated questions are going to happen. even if you do search for the problem first, there's no guarantee that you'll find it, even if someone else has already answered it. usually i only post a question here after searching for an answer elsewhere has proved futile.

also... sorry if you thought i was coming down on you in particular on that glx thing. i never mind trying to help someone out... i was just a bit pissed off at myself for not pointing it out to you sooner, and i was thinking that it might help if i could have an faq or something to direct you to that wouldn't leave out those details. the main reason i thought it would help is because it's a point that's left out of the documentation so often... it took me nearly a week to find it when i had the same problem a few months ago. there's lots of undocumented little fixes and problems like that, and it would be a great help if we could construct our own faqs that address them.

i agree. and no offense taken.

with particular questions that are so general (e.g. there are no specific error messages involved and hence can't be searched as easily on the net), it's hard to really make a faq, because the answer could be right in front of someone but yet they wouldn't know it because they're seeing the issue from a different angle. that's where this faq compilation idea gets even harder. it would probably entail people searching through posts to see the recurring questions/ideas (specifically with regards to wording), and i can see that being a tremendous undertaking, a project that will last a very long time.

Help X won't start, I am using RedHat... how many times have you heard this one... and I don't know how many times I have said Xconfigurator in these posts.

Good Idea by the way.

for the record, i just reminded someone else about the glx thing