On Sun, Jul 15, 2007 at 07:05:53PM +1000, Donald Bruce Stewart wrote:

So how would you think we can approve? We have to help in more specific ways, and listen more carefully to what people are asking?

I usually do this when I want a newcomer to join my community (for instance my research community): I study him, I read his stuff, I try to get to know him, so that I can find for him a place that can suit his needs, feed his curiosity, and help him improve while maximizing his contribution to the community. I treat him as she were my fellow researcher, and not a student I'm supposed to teach to. Just an example: I find it so much irritating when you give a paper to someone and, before even reading it, the receiver starts asking you if you have already read the just published papers of authors x and y about a topic that could slightly resemble the one of your paper (even if actually does not)? This a the kind of behaviour I always try to avoid with new comers. I suppose they know more then me, even if in different area of knowledge. We are all experts of almost nothing. But I'm talking about a small research community, with one or two new members a year. I have no experience in managing such a large community as this one. I just thought that the fact that I felt repelled by the behaviour of some of the members of this community, and please believe me when I say that that behaviour was far from being intentionally offensive or even disrespectful in my regards, could be useful for someone that has such a difficult task. All my best wishes. Andrea