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Re: [at-l] Time to face FAQs?

>Someone mentioned that there's no need for an AT-L FAQ when
Wingfoot's page is so comprehensive. I guess I disagree.
>
>First, that assumes that WF's site will always be available, and
always be free. Maybe it will and it will. But, if you've hung out
there, you know that he sometimes seems to get frustrated about all
the time he's putting in, and the lack of respect/response he gets for
it. Might he decide to chuck it one day and shut the site down? Could
happen. Conversely, with all the time and money he's invested in
getting it up and running, might he someday decide he has to charge
for its use? Could happen. It's happening to more and more big Web
sites.
>
>Second, his site is hard to use unless you've got really fast
browsers and connections, and you can't just download a FAQ file and
read it at your leisure--you have to go page to page, question to
question. It's well organized, but I find it hard to use. I like a
good FAQ file I can download and pick through offline.
>
>Third, it's Wingfoot's. Things posted on Trailplace "belong" to the
AT Center, and appear on the Web page under his copyright rubrics.
>
>Fourth, Wingfoot is controversial--he's a FAQ subject himself, which
seems to bother him. He has an agenda, and a very specific vision for
the AT. Not everybody agrees with him, and he doesn't appear to like
it when you argue about his vision on his home court. Everybody is
equal there, but some are more equal than others, to coin a phrase. On
ATML he's been known to condemn and censor stuff he doesn't think
appropriate and doesn't agree with--and people he doesn't want to hear
from. It's his perogative, certainly, but it's at odds with the "no
rules" ethic a lot of us like about the Net. I'll be my own
conscience, thank you, and if that means he won't let me play with his
toys, well, okay, I can live with it.
>
>Finally, I value and respect Wingfoot's contribution to the Trail.
He's been helpful to me personally, and I'm grateful for it. His book
is the best one out there precisely because it is idiosyncratic rather
than institutional; he has a lot of integrity and a compelling vision
for the AT. Trailplace is a great idea, and a great resource. But it
shouldn't be the *only* resource, and I don't want C.A.T.S. to become
the Microsoft of the AT World, with WF its Bill Gates. This list, for
now, is a more open place to discuss the AT online, and its collective
wisdom deserves respect too.
>
>Why not an AT-L FAQ? Why not re-post it here from time to time. I'll
help.

I have made my comment with tongue in check about a FAQ.  I have been
hiking and backpacking off and on almost 40 yr.  I learn something new
almost every day from this list and I have gone onto the archives to
ferret out information.  A FAQ would be a very good thing for this
list.  If nothing else it could provide pointers to home pages and
point to where to find the archives.  It is a large undertaking and
requires a lot of time from a number of people to keep it fairly
current.  One of the mailing lists, that I am a member, organized a
committee to write their FAQ and this committee periodically 'meets'
to decide if changes are to be made.  I know that this list is not
that well organized but there is a list administrator who might be
able start such a committee if others like Robert Rubin volunteer.  I
old and opinionated and would like to volunteer to put in $0.02 worth.
Anybody else out there interested?

Bob Dudley rdudley@arserrc.gov

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