From: "William H. Ansley" <wansley@warwick.net>
Subject: Re: (urth) TBOTNS FAQ
Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 18:41:21 

Christy <cglst7+@pitt.edu> wrote:

>I've been eavesdropping on this FAQ conversation (though I fear it's
>dying down) and I can't help but feel that there is a skewed approach
>being taken to the project.
>
>Is it the duty of the FAQ to initiate one into the "mysteries" of TBOTNS?
>Or to initiate one into the method of reading Gene Wolfe?

Neither. A FAQ is a list of frequently asked questions and their answers.
It is a device invented to prevent people from posting the same question
over and over in a newsgroup (at which task is has generally been a notable
failure) and to relieve other people from having to reply with the same
answer over and over or ignore the question (at which task it is a fair
success; of course the response, "read the FAQ" must be posted over and
over, but this is a lot less effort).

(I am basing the above on my experiences reading newsgroups back when I
used to do this a lot, years and years ago. Someone else's experiences may,
of course, be quite different.)

What you are talking about, Christy, is not a FAQ. I would say it sounds
like a books or at least a collection of essays. Perhaps it is mantis's
book; I don't know if he covers all the ground you mention, I haven't yet
decided to buy a copy. If it does, perhaps mantis would provide us with a
group discount and send a copy to everyone on this list (lurkers included)
<G>.

William Ansley



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