FAQ Sections
Meta Questions
What's a FAQ?
You're kidding, right? Hm, maybe not. Actually, this question is quite interesting. And it's especially relevant for this particular FAQ. How did you know that?
FAQ usually stands for "frequently asked questions". Often, the stated motivation is to avoid the annoyance of answering the same questions over and over again.
This FAQ has a similar motivation. However in this case, FAQ stands for "fabricated aboriginal questions". All questions in this FAQ were fabricated. I don't promise that anyone ever asked any of them about Camelot.pm.
Why in the world would you call a FAQ aboriginal?
A most reasonable question. You are perhaps wondering if this FAQ is written primarily for certain indigenous peoples of Australia.
As you may be aware this group is non-geographical. Therefore, it isn't really in this world. Right? But, I guess that doesn't really get me off the hook. Damn!
This FAQ is aboriginal, in that it is the first known (to me anyway) in this region. That is, it's the first known in the Perl Mongers non-geographical region (area, continent or whatever you choose to call it).
Why have a FAQ for a group that doesn't exist yet?
Good question. Writing and modifying this FAQ is helping me to determine what the group is. It may also be useful in communicating what my intent is to people considering getting involved.
Besides, who says Camelot.pm doesn't exist? Anything with a website and/or a mailing list exists. Camelot.pm has both a website and a mailing list. Therefore Camelot.pm exists. QED.
Will I learn anything about the Perl language by reading the FAQ?
Probably not. This FAQ is about Camelot.pm, what it is, how it functions, etc. You need to know a tiny bit about Perl to understand Camelot.pm and how it operates, but not much.
For FAQs concerning Perl itself, you may wish to start with Perl FAQs on Perl.com.
Adventures on Camelot.pm
What kind of adventures can I aspire to on Camelot.pm?
This is mostly limited by your imagination. If you are attuned to the intent of Camelot.pm, who knows? Perhaps you'll become involved in a quest of clarification or communication. Part of the fun is that we don't know what we'll come up with.
Two examples are:
Among other things we'll be drawing on the legend of Camelot. So we'll be having knights and quests and such. And we'll be creating our own symbols and legends.
Can I role play on Camelot.pm?
Sure, like I said, we'll be having knights and quests and the like. Enjoy.
The following quote is relevant to the way role playing is viewed here:
If you will practice being fictional for a while, you will understand that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats. -- from "Illusions" by Richard Bach
Characterizations of Camelot.pm
How would you characterize Camelot.pm?
You've read the section "The Name of Camelot.pm". Right? With that in mind, I'd say Camelot.pm is:
- non-geographic
- new
- a place for adventure
- social and cross-cultural
In what sense is Camelot.pm non-geographical?
Perl Mongers lists almost all Perl Mongers groups as belonging to one of seven geographical areas: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa or Oceania. Groups that are not based on geography are listed as non-geographical.
Camelot.pm is a non-geographic group in that:
- it is not set up to serve any particular geographical area
- it is listed as non-geographical by Perl Mongers
How new is Camelot.pm?
The New Group Request Form for Camelot.pm was submitted January 15, 2003. Camelot.pm was first listed on the non-geographical list March 17, 2003.
What do you mean it's a place of adventure?
Hey, knights, quests, role playing. Sounds like adventure to me. For more detail see the section "Adventures on Camelot.pm".
What do you mean it's social and cross-cultural?
Camelot.pm is social in that it's focus is explicitly on fostering positive connections between Perl Monger groups.
Camelot.pm is cross-cultural in that it seeks to make connections across continents and cultures.
The Mailing List
Is there a mailing list?
Yes. The Camelot.pm mailing list has been set up specifically for this group. You are invited to subscribe.
How can I subscribe to the mailing list?
You can subscribe to the mailing list at Camelot.pm Mailing List Info.
What if I want to unsubscribe from the mailing list?
You can also do that at Camelot.pm Mailing List Info.
How do I send mail to the mailing list?
Once you subscribe to the list, you can send mail to the whole list by addressing it to: camelot-pm@pm.org.
Actually even if you are not subscribed, you can send mail to the mailing list by directing it to that address. However, if you are not subscribed, your post requires approval.
Where do replies to mailing list posts go by default?
Back to the mailing list.
If you want your reply to go elsewhere, then change the To Header field before you send it.
Are there archives of Camelot.pm posts?
Yes. You can access them from Camelot-pm Archives.
Is the mailing list open or closed?
The Camelot.pm mailing list is open in the sense that:
- The archive of past posts is available for all to see.
- Anyone interested can subscribe to the list.
- Posts of subscribers are not moderated.
The mailing list is closed in the sense that:
- Posts by non-subscribers are automatically rejected.
- The subscriber list is no longer available for all to see.
Where can I go for more information about this list?
You can get more information about this specific list at Camelot.pm Mailing List Info.
The mailing list is managed using Mailman, the GNU mailing list manager. One place to get more information about Mailman is the Mailman page on the GNU Project site.
The Name of Camelot.pm
What does the name Camelot.pm tell us?
It tells us that this is a .pm or Perl Mongers group of Camelot. The part before the .pm typically indicates the geographical area that the group is primarily for. (E.g. Oakland.pm. E.g. London.pm. E.g. Guatemala.pm.) But Camelot.pm is a non-geographical group, so the Camelot part of the name represents a state of mind, an intent or something like that.
What's Camelot?
In legend, Camelot was a community bound together by love, honour, values, and nobility of purpose. There still is a rich tapestry of ideals, legendary heroic figures and stories regarding Camelot. For example, the knights of the round table and their quest for the holy grail.
What's .pm stand for?
Perl Mongers. Or more completely, Perl Mongers Group. A .pm is a Perl users group that has registered with Perl Mongers.
So, what's a Perl Monger?
Someone who advocates Perl. A member of an official Perl Mongers group.
There's an illuminating interview with brian d foy, the creator of Perl Mongers, on this subject entitled "What the Heck is a Perl Monger?!" by Brent Michalski.
What's Perl?
Well, it's not clear to me why anyone would bother to read this FAQ if they didn't already have a fair idea what Perl is. But what do I know? I'll take a shot at an answer.
Perl is a programming language which is especially good at manipulating text. As an acronym Perl stands for "Practical Extraction and Report Language". It is, indeed, very good at that.
Three things Perl has been heavily used for are:
- data munging (a more colorful way of saying data manipulation)
- Unix system administration
- website development and maintenance
There is some overlap between these uses.
For more about what Perl is, you could check out Perl.org.
And what's a monger apart from Camelot.pm?
Literally, a monger is "a dealer or broker of something". E.g. an ale monger. E.g. a fish monger as in the song about Molly Malone.
Isn't there a pun involved in the name Camelot?
Yes, several. The one's I'm aware of revolve around viewing the name as Camel OT.
One interpretation of OT that appeals to me is "off-topic". Being off-topic is something people do and enjoy a lot. And sometimes the willingness to be off-topic produces insights that are right on topic. (Then again, sometimes not.)
The Role of Camelot.pm
What's the official roll of Camelot.pm?
The cinammon role. Very tasty.
You say that's irrelevant. Oh, well. Repeat after me "Camelot stands for Camel Off-Topic". Thank you.
What's the purpose of Camelot.pm?
The intent and direction of Camelot.pm is to contribute to the Perl Monger community socially and cross-culturally.