Please, when if you find yourself about to explode with exasperation for
whatever cause:
Stop
Give yourself a timeout -- take a break -- do something else for awhile.
Maybe just-plain stop is the best policy..
..but if you can't stop, try to come back _later_ and compose as
dispassionate a statement as possible, summarizing what you disagree
with, and offer to let it stand as a disagreement.
In my opinion, this holds DOUBLE (or more) on off-topic discussions!
Disagreements -- even strongly personal disagreements -- can be fun.
Disagreements on technical subjects can, in fact, be quite enlightening,
and I'm even willing to forgive borderline-stretching passion in such
technical arguments.
In this recent case, my guess is that an inappropriate personal-directed
remark just "slipped out".
The receiving-end participant did the right thing by ignoring the
ill-mannered post.
The offending author and others subsequently helped soothe things a bit
with a little humor, but 'twere better it didn't happen.
After saying all this, I still have to remind everyone neither be so
quick to offend _nor to take offense_.
Email is an imperfect communication medium, and it may always remain so.
People joke about asbestos underwear, and it strikes me that those who
are willing to joke it about make the best survivors of flame-(or
other-)attacks.
Regards all,
..jim
--
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