Peter Blaise wrote: ... specific MediaWiki struggles ... shared ... in my first post, but ... was rejected by the list-serve admin ...

Rob wrote: ... A decent explanation was given the first time ...

Peter Blaise responds: By whom? To whom?? Are you saying my first post (the missing quashed one) was decent? Are you saying the admin's private reply to me quashing my first post was decent? Are you saying my subsequent first post, which was an edited down version of my real first attempted post, was decent? Are you saying the replies to my watered-down post were decent? Pick one, or clarify, please!

I think as technical people, we're not used to writing clearly, unambiguously, or writing at all, for ourselves, and certainly not for lay people (I am proudly both) and this is the challenge I have in finding complete and expansive documentation on the nascent MediaWiki world.

Rob wrote ... this is wikitech-l ...

Peter Blaise responds: I get confused sometimes, too. This is mediawiki-l! However, I cross posted to both because (a) the instructions at both said to cross post to both, and (b) I felt my post was appropriate for both. No one has to agree with me (obviously!).

Rob wrote ... wikitech-l ... [is] the mailing list for internal developer discussion of technical issues related to the Wikimedia Foundation ...

Peter Blaise responds: ... and I think they are the main audience for my inquiries. Why should they not be aware of my needs? Automotive analogy wise, are you saying Ford engineers should be isolated from customers asking for, say, intermittent wipers or electric locks? I've got a vehicle with no locks or keys, and no documentation or on-vehicle avenue of resolution. Why not tell the makers? I'd think they're the ones most highly motivated to make their vehicle the best customer service product they can muster. Or, is that the problem - they're struggling or otherwise preoccupied and are unable to listen to their customers at the moment? Is it a financial thing - MediaWiki is tiny and broke, and their fantastic startup idea is all they can muster?

Rob wrote: ... General MediaWiki support posts need to be made to mediawiki-l, which is a list set up for that purpose. You'll find considerable more help in the list archives there ...

Peter Blaise responds: Rob, are you saying "I (Rob) have found that wikitech-l folk don't wanna hear from the like of you (Peter Blaise), so my helpful advice is to look where you might find helpful people," or, are you saying "I (Rob) as list-serve admin of wikitech-l, am preventing you from bothering wikitech-l folk, and I'm doing that by quashing your posts to them"?

- Peter Blaise