[or-roots] Posting from 1st time user

[kat1928 at integrity.com]

Quoting CKlooster at aol.com:

> Once again someone just beginning the fascinating climb up the family tree
> dares to ask this list for help.  Clearly this is someone putting  a
> tentative
> toe into the water as evidenced by the fact that the message begins  with a
> question about how to post.  Instead of a warm welcome to the world  of
> genealogy, Kay received a response that was lacking in simple courtesy.   It
> seemed to
> me to be  a put-down; as responses from Walt often  do. Maybe he doesn't mean
> to come across the way he does.  Walt always  has his immediate defenders,
> but why does he seem so frequently to need  them?
>
> I frankly disagree with the implication that age and infirmity convey some
> right to be impatient or discourteous.  Many of the people who helped me
> most
> when I was beginning in genealogy were elderly people who were friendly;
> helpful; and above all, patient.  They were people who were happy to share
> both
> information and researching tips.  I am indebted to them and my  philosophy
> has
> always been that I can repay that debt by sharing with others who  are just
> beginning.  Also, part of the fun for me in genealogy at this  point is
> solving
> puzzles and often that involves finding or sharing information  on lines that
> are not  mine.
>
> The majority of the people who share information on this list seem to be
> very helpful and courteous.  Maybe the answer is to drown out the
> "curmudgeons"
> and curmudgeon defenders by responding immediately to new  list members with
> a
> warm welcome, constructive advice, and encouragement.   Otherwise there will
> soon be nobody left on this list but the curmudgeon  contingent.
>
> Carla
>
> PS...the old holdover from the very early days of the internet when posting
> in all caps was mostly used by flamers to SHOUT insults, usually is
> overlooked
>  on lists such as this.  Many people are hunt-and-peck "keyboarders" (See, I
> don't want date myself by saying "typists"!) and either choose to compose  in
> all caps, or to type without any capital letters.  It's the content that
> counts, not the font, or the spelling, or the punctuation, or the
> lack/surplus
> of capital letters.
>
>
>


Carla:

You summed it up very well!  Hopefully, people will take heed.  It really
doesn't take much effort to be courtious and we could do without all this
discord that surfaces every so often.  I feel sorry for the new people who
cancel out before they find out what a helpful source this is.

Dorothy