From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1751369AbWGWWGC (ORCPT ); Sun, 23 Jul 2006 18:06:02 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1751363AbWGWWGB (ORCPT ); Sun, 23 Jul 2006 18:06:01 -0400 Received: from srv5.dvmed.net ([207.36.208.214]:32162 "EHLO mail.dvmed.net") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1751325AbWGWWGA (ORCPT ); Sun, 23 Jul 2006 18:06:00 -0400 Message-ID: <44C3F2C6.5010001@garzik.org> Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 18:05:58 -0400 From: Jeff Garzik User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.4 (X11/20060614) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "linux-ide@vger.kernel.org" , Linux Kernel , Netdev List Subject: Private driver support emails should be avoided. Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Spam-Score: -4.3 (----) X-Spam-Report: SpamAssassin version 3.1.3 on srv5.dvmed.net summary: Content analysis details: (-4.3 points, 5.0 required) Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Just a reminder to folks out there... Don't send private driver support emails. I receive a lot of email. A lot. Not as much as Linus or Andrew probably, but still sizable. And quite regularly, I will receive a private email asking for help on a SATA or net driver problem. The poster will include various details on their problem, and ask for help debugging the problem. While the email will indeed be skimmed -- looking at a mass of bug reports, one can better detect patterns -- the people seeking support privately will almost NEVER RECEIVE A RESPONSE. Unless there is a security issue (email security@kernel.org), posters should ALWAYS email their report(s) to one or more mailing lists. Private email * is not archived publicly * is not Google-able * restricts the sharing of knowledge * prevents other users from responding to your email Feel free to CC me on problems you think should warrant my attention. A carbon copy is acceptable to almost all regular kernel contributors. As another tip, if a kernel bug or annoyance persists, people are encouraged to maintain wiki and web pages describing the behavior, and discussed problem history. Maintaining "SATA sucks on ThinkPad" style web pages is always a good way to shame kernel hackers into action ;-) Maintaining such web pages is a good way for a group of affected users to pool common information, and suggested workarounds. Ensuring the freshness of bugzilla.kernel.org information is also a great way for non-kernel hackers to help out. Sometimes a bug is only solved after a pattern emerges from a group of problem reports. Even "me too!" bugzilla reports are helpful... if they are followed by highly detailed hardware and kernel information. Jeff