I'm nobody here, but the discussion on this issue makes me want to add a couple of comments:

1.) Randal's party in Monterey ROCKED so I can't claim to be impartial.

2. ) Why don't all these upper level Monks create a link page of common responses to newbies so Randal (or anyone) could link "Running with scissors" comments to the appropriate detailed explanation.

(i.e Stas Beckmans mod_perl guide provides an execellent outlet for newbie mod_perl mailing list folk.)

It just seems to me that anything that is repetitive in nature should be automated, and that supposedly some of the brightest most creative minds are here.

Just the cliche .02