use Perl

• Simple (Score:2)

  by autarch (914)

  I don't think it's rude to ask people to send their question to the appropriate list. I do this for every single project of mine for which there is a list, and I have a very firm policy of never answering questions sent to me personally for said projects. I don't want to encourage bad habits.

  I usually just reply with something like "Please send all DateTime-related questions to datetime@perl.org."

  It's short, but I don't think it's rude. The person who sent me personal email was the rude one, if anything, fo
• Can't stop the signal. (Score:2)

  by schwern (1528)

  Users will do the simplest, most obvious thing (to them). Looking up the author on search.cpan and mailing them directly is often just that. And it works universally for all modules, rather than having to examine the documentation of each one and following each individual's instructions.

  Given that, there's really no way to stop it. And there's useful signal in each bit of feedback. I'm just glad for the feedback and I forward them quietly to the appropriate email address and deal with it (or let it be
• "Discussion Forum" link (Score:2)

  by schwern (1528)

  BTW search.cpan.org now supports customizing the "discussion forum" link using the MailingList resource in META.yml... or it did. It seems to have disappeared. I'll ping Graham.
• They're not ignorant (Score:2)

  by petdance (2468)

  Part of what will make things easier is if you adjust your goggles. Instead of seeing them as ignorant, there are any number of other potential explanations for why they sent you the mail. In any case, don't see it as a character flaw. Makes life much easier to deal with.

  Second, there's nothing at all rude about redirecting someone to a list. Explain to them how they can better serve themselves. Make it about helping the person, not about how you're not interested. "I'm sorry but I think you'll get a

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  xoa
  • Re: (Score:1)

    by rjbs (4671)

    You appear to be ignorant of the fact that ignorance is not a character flaw!

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    rjbs
    • They can't be ignorant forever (Score:1)

      by Eric Wilhelm (6389)

      Exactly. Perhaps a replybot or boilerplate reply with all of that text explaining why you can't personally triage their problem.

      Hi $name,
          Please send your questions about $thing to $forum. Sorry for the automated response. Per-incident support is available via $company at $rate/hr. Tips for asking good questions are available at $link. You may also find your answer in $faq.

      Thanks

      That will at least solve the ignorance. Laziness, selfishness, &c may lead some to feel that this was rude of you, but that's an ignorance you can't correct via e-mail.
• Just forward to list (Score:1)

  by runrig (3385)

  That's how emails to Tim Bunce about DBI seem to be handled, and I don't see a problem with that. Even if I see the bit about the mailing list in the AUTHORS section of PAR, I may be under the impression that I have to join the list, which I don't want to do. So emailing the author or filling out an RT ticket may seem to be the best way to just report the problem.
  • Re: (Score:1)

    by Aristotle (5147)

    Exactly. You can simplify the workflow, in fact, by just replying with a note asking them to please not send you support questions directly and telling them that you are redirecting their question to the mailing list – which you then include in the list of recipients, making sure to quote the original mail in full. That boils the whole process down to a single action.

    It’s not rude to redirect them. If anyone is being rude, it’s them.