>
>
> Should the result be #4, that leaves the community with one more
> person now understanding the answer to the problem.  Should another
> person in the future have the same problem, that person will be stuck
> trying his luck with the four steps above. 
No, if its a problem with the package definitions, what loads where etc,
then when it is fixed it is fixed, for everyone else too.

The point about IRC is about potential speed of turnaround.
> Or, that person can try searching Google, and then come up with an IRC
> log, which he can then try to parse.  That is, if the conversation
> took place in the public channel.  If the question was answered via
> private message, then the exchange which took place on IRC will not
> help anyone but the person who originally sought the answer.
>
> Please don't think I'm dissing IRC as a whole.  I just think it would
> serve the community best if everyone was on the channel, 24 hours a
> day, every day, always listening and answering.  That's a lot of time
> spent on IRC.

gad-zukes, you have discovered my secret!

Keith
>   Maybe that's your goal  :)
>
> - TimJ
>
>
>