I couldn’t agree more with the responses to the student/newbie. To this person I responded that not knowing how to use technology was no excuse for a technical writer, that the forums acted as a way to get in touch with people, to learn the technology and start a discussion by posting a question, and that in person meetings would still be arranged if there was enough interest in the membership.

I didn’t receive a response back from this person, so I can’t give any follow up to that.