Re: [xsl] Specifying Response Style [Was: problem with transforming mixed content}]

Subject: Re: [xsl] Specifying Response Style [Was: problem with transforming mixed content}]
From: "Imsieke, Gerrit, le-tex gerrit.imsieke@xxxxxxxxx" <xsl-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2020 19:34:45 -0000
Yes, you're probably right. Thanks for considering and commenting on this proposal.

Letbs keep the requirements to "post the input, expected output, and what you tried." It's hard enough. And we can always ask what kind of answer/solution OP expects, unless we can already infer it from what/how they asked.

Gerrit

On 15.08.2020 21:20, B Tommie Usdin btusdin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Aug 15, 2020, at 1:47 PM, Imsieke, Gerrit, le-tex gerrit.imsieke@xxxxxxxxx <xsl-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

...

Maybe Tommie can include in the xsl-list instructions something along these lines:

"If you ask for a solution, indicate whether you prefer just a sketch or actual code. And if you ask for code, indicate whether it should only narrowly cover the presented use case or whether it should be robust against complexities that are present in the real-life input. If the input that you give is simplified (which it usually is), try to indicate in which regards the actual input is different."

This makes me uncomfortable because it might be interpreted to mean that the people on the list are obligated, or at least expected, to provide precisely what the poster requests. XSL-List is a forum for discussion, which often involves problem solving and sometimes includes provision of working code. Sometimes the people responding to an inquiry are inspired to get deep into the details of the poster's problem, sometimes they provide hints that will help the poster solve the problem themselves.


I do not want people posting questions to the list to think that they will get help-line-style responses, that they can specify what type of response they will get, or even that they will necessarily get a response at all. Conversely, I do not want to imply that active participants on the list should provide a particular style of response to a posting. Among other things, I fear that even implying that constraints such as this are acceptable will reduce engagement on what is, for many, a useful place to share information.

-- Tommie

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B. Tommie Usdin                                                                mailto:btusdin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mulberry Technologies, Inc.                                                      https://www.mulberrytech.com
17 West Jefferson Street                                                                        Phone: 301/315-9631
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