As you computer old-timers know, most discussion areas such as this develop a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). Is it time for one here?

Common questions here include:

1) How do I go to a URL if there is no hyperlink? (note: some of the most valuable people reading this newsgroup are *not* computer-savy)

2) Who is Paul Milne (and why is he so mean and nasty)?

3) Is this Y2K thing for real?

4) Will the banks fail?

5) Won't Bill Gates fix it?

...clearly, the list could quickly get quite long. This group seems to be a focal-point for Y2K awareness. People such as Paul Milne (even if he does have a bit of a temper) really seem to want to get the message out. A FAQ, rather than being a long self-contained document, could point people to useful sources of information already developed. Computer-savy folks can just do a web-search, of course, to find what they need. But computer novices don't know how to do that. Even computer experts would save time with good moderated "pointers" to sources of information.

I have noticed that there are a few dedicated volunteer researchers around (Dianne and Bonnie come to mind). It seems like it would be easy to gather material (especially if it was emailed to a single person in response to requests on this forum).

BUT - who would undertake such a thing? Uh, er, um ... I'm busy...

Does anybody have a couple of hours a week to donate?

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@anonymous.com), January 26, 1999

Answers

I agree, we need some sort of FAQ. Also for questions on preparations, there were so many good threads on water, solar, etc. Perhaps a FAQ that points out to already existing threads with hyperlinks?

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), January 26, 1999.

Maybe this is a senior moment, but didn't someone put together a FAQ back in November or so? I remember it floated around for a while and then disappeared. Is it buried in one of the archives?

-- Cash (cash@andcarry.com), January 26, 1999.

Anonymous99,

We need the search engine first. Then the FAQ's will be easier to come by. Perhaps they could be posted under the forum "About" section, if Ed so chooses.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 26, 1999.