Decorum needs to be raised.
Lamar Owen
lowen at pari.edu
Fri Jan 4 04:22:31 UTC 2008
On Thursday 03 January 2008, Leslie Satenstein wrote:
> I have been in IT for 40 years, and in that time I learned a lesson or two.
[snip excellent advice]
> f) Finally, ask yourself if you would like to receive the criticism that
> you would deliver.
While my message to Karl might have seemed a tad harsh (and, to a degree it
was), I can't help but get bent out of shape when an esteemed member of the
Fedora project is essentially called stupid.
As to your point f, I would say plainly that, if I were to so seriously put my
foot in my mouth as to call a core developer of a project I use 'stupid' I
would expect to get a good chewing-out. And, for that matter, I would want
to get a good public on-list flame or two, as I would need to be straightened
out, because I certainly know that there are many things I don't know, and
there are things I will never know, because there are just so many things to
know.
> So, please, help the beginners, and if some software is malfunctioning, try
> to find the reason, and with kind words, contact the author. You wil get
> more using an approach with honey than one with vinegar.
In most cases this is true. There are exceptions where there is no honey
sweet enough to get a positive response when you're pointing out a bug or
other error, from users or developers.
But you're right; civility should be maintained. If I failed in maintaining a
civil manner in my reply to Karl, my apologies, as it was intended to be
civil, yet firm.
--
Lamar Owen
Chief Information Officer
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
1 PARI Drive
Rosman, NC 28772
(828)862-5554
www.pari.edu
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