[original post is likely clipped to save bandwidth]
On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 19:59:58 GMT, "Tommy & Megan Price"
wrote:
I subscribed to their newsgroup mostly to learn more about HVAC so that when
the techs come to work on mine I won't think they are speaking Cantonese.
What I found was reply after reply of garbage. If they don't want people
posting questions about ACs and furnaces what is the point of the newsgroup?
Spreading ways to screw home moaners as they call us? Sorry but I had to
vent after unsubscribing earlier from that newsgroup. No info just buttheads
spouting off.
BEFORE REACTING - see the *** below ;-)
alt.hvac is an unchartered, unmoderated group. Given the nature of the
usenet, stuff happens.
Conflict might be reduced if someone there posted a FAQ there regularly,
but some prefer to flame regularly instead.
A little research can help, of interest:
From
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/a...r.heat-vent-ac
Authored by Randy Wilkinson, a long interesting read:
"Subject: Group Status
The group "alt.hvac" was created in January 1995 as a temporary place for
people interested in heating, ventilating and air conditioning to share
information until an "official" newsgroup can be voted on and created."
Pretty simple wording!
It is interesting that the claimed FAQ
http://home.att.net/~alt.hvac/
actually refers to sci.engr.heat-vent-ac, see
http://home.att.net/~alt.hvac/charter.htm
Also
http://home.att.net/~alt.hvac/netiquet.htm
contains
"This is also not to say that do-it-yourselfers are discouraged from
posting questions to the HVAC `experts' that regularly read these
articles. Many of the `experts' are glad to help homeowners with their
HVAC problems, others would rather not"
and
"For such persons who insist on ignoring the admonitions outlined here,
gently remind them (in case they're just a newsier who doesn't know any
better), by email that the purpose of the newsgroup is technical
discussion and information sharing and not commercialism. Please Don't
post a follow-up article flaming those persons."
So clearly, the flamers there don't believe in the very documents they use
in the claimed FAQ.
Finally, the guy who often claims to be THE creator, for some reason isn't
listed as one of the authors of the charter or the FAQ keeper when it was
created. (to be fair, research will show he clearly was a participant)
"Authors: Doug Grittani, Lynnette Edrington, and William Delp, PhD" (email
addresses deleted)
Actually, my first URL refence (
http://www.ibiblio.org/...) contains
"A hearty THANK YOU to Lynnette for making this group a reality!"
*** Given all that, in practice, the nicer HVAC guys willing to help home
owners seem to hang out here. Your not going to many sharper guys in the
profession than Turtle!
So why not go with the flow?
gerry
--
Personal home page -
http://gogood.com
gerry misspelled in my email address to confuse robots