Hi, I saw a comment on this list recently which said, (quoting from memory) "polite replies only please"
After some time to reflect on this, and some time to discuss with colleagues, I wonder if someone on the list could explain why some feel it is ok to flame someone. ========================================= One does see on lists times when person Y says, "Person X is an idiot". Yet, what I do not understand is that if we took all the list members to a conference, and everyone was given a chance to speak, would Y say (when it was his turn) "Person X is an idiot" In reality, Person Y would say it nicely, like, "I think X is wrong" ========================== Extending further. We have a fixup night of the local linux user group. Everyone is in little clusters. The computers needing help are there, and two experts per computer. The computer owner is there also, with the two experts. Would the experts spend time shouting at the owner, "you are an idiot" ? Absolutely not. Yet, we do the same in IRC. ================================================ Extending further. I take a sheet of company paper, write "person Y is an idiot", put the paper into an envelope, and post it to person Y. ============================================================= Do you see my point? At the conference, or at the fixup night, we would never be so socially inept as to call someone an idiot. (Actually, I have seen it happen. The person doing the name calling was the sort of person you make every effort to avoid. No chocolate fish for the person who guesses the offenders name. There is a guillotine waiting for the person who sends possible names to this list.) yet, and this is the weird thing, it happens on email lists and IRC chat rooms with depressing regularity. This suggests to me that we have to grow up in our usage of email. Derek. -- Derek Smithies Ph.D. This PC runs pine on linux for email IndraNet Technologies Ltd. If you find a virus apparently from me, it has Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] forged the e-mail headers on someone else's machine ph +64 3 365 6485 Please do not notify me when (apparently) receiving a Web: http://www.indranet-technologies.com/ windows virus from me......
