I usually try to answer their question, but I also include
the following canned text at the start of my reply:
-------------------8<---------(cut here)-------->8--------------------
While I don't mind answering the odd question addressed
directly to me, you're generally far better off posting to
an appropriate newsgroup rather than mailing to one or two
specific people.
If you mail a question to me, you have only one person
looking at it. You're drawing on one person's experience
and knowledge. And I may be busy, or out of town, or unable to
answer for some other reason.
If you post it, you have hundreds, if not thousands, of
people looking at it. You're drawing on a broad base of
experience and knowledge. And if any one particular person
happens to be busy, you've only lost a fraction of your
audience; chances are someone else _will_ read it and
respond.
-------------------8<---------(cut here)-------->8--------------------
I've been doing this for a couple of years, and so far
nobody has responded and said that they were offended by
my suggestion. You're free to use the above if you like
it, or modify it to suit your own tastes, or whatever you like.
$ or is a silly job offer (the next head hunter to offer me a job
Nobody has ever sent me email saying "I see that you wrote
the FAQ for comp.unix.sco.* and wondered if I could find you a
job." I have no idea whether the headhunters who email me are
doing it because of my FAQ, or just because they bought a mailing
list from somewhere.
I treat such notes as spam, and respond accordingly.
-- Stephen M. Dunn (SD313), CNE, ACE steved@ussinc.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Senior Manager United System Solutions Inc. 104 Carnforth Road, Toronto, ON, Canada M4A 2K7 (416) 750-7946 x251