Why private replies to users' questions?

["Steve Eppley" <seppley @ alumni . caltech . edu>]

Hi,

I subscribed to majordomo-users about a week ago, and I've noticed 
plenty of users posting questions here, but no replies.  I assume 
there's a convention to reply with private email.  (The alternative 
assumption is that this list is useless.)

Is this wise?  Are user problems so unique that other users will
rarely benefit from seeing answers?  And how can someone who is
considering replying know if someone else has already done so? 

---Steve     (Steve Eppley    seppley@alumni.caltech.edu)