Re: FAQ Maintainers Daily Digest

Todd C. Lawson (tlawson@email.univpubs.american.edu)
Wed, 7 Feb 1996 10:45:10 -0500

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The FAQ Maintainers Daily Digest, sent at 5:56 AM on 2/7/96, said:
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
<trim>
>|What you're probably talking about is a REFerence file, which can only
>|present one or more points of view about these questions, and hopelessly
>|bias the information.
<trim>
>|It is explosively ego-building to create a FAQ. One becomes 'the source'
>|or 'conduit for authority'. Unfortunately it is also a slam to the
>|minds of those who take the 'FAQ' as gospel truth rather than as one
>|more propaganda file, from which they will of course have to recover.

I'd say, in regards to FAQs on religion, etc, it would probably be
important to have factual information only in the FAQ, or to have two FAQs
arguing different perspectives on the issues, posted consecutively at
regular intervals.

As far as the ego building, I suppose it is possible. (Jesting poke at the
alt.fan.joel-furr FAQ, grin) But it is also just as easy to leave out
attribution at to pass the file from person to person, getting revisions.
It may take longer and cause a couple of headaches, but it'll produce a
better document.
T

==========================================================================
Todd C. Lawson, University Publications, American University
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"Some are wise and some are otherwise." - Genesis, 1976

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