console hang, was RE: [plug] reiserfs

[Mike Holland]

On Fri, 8 Dec 2000, Dennis Plester wrote:

> Maybe Mike should have rephrased his email a little differently. Rather than
> saying, "you are stuck in the windoze mentality", he could have said, "have
> you tried <insert useful tip here>? You might not need to reboot your PC
> like you are probably used to in Windows.", rather than a blunt, easily
> misinterpreted response.

Wow! Ouch! Who is the one taking it too seriously? Not me, honest.

Isnt it amazing how much some people can read from a two-line post? I
thought it did manage to contain a useful tip for those coming to Linux
from Windows - "get out of the habit of rebooting". As Christian expanded,
its unnecessay, and often doesnt help.

 It can be very counter-productive on a list like this if people choose to
take offense too easily.

> Perhaps I read too much into the tone of his email, but if that's the case,

Tone? What tone? Just the facts sir. This is a low-bandwidth medium :)

> I'm not the only one. I've had something like 10 emails sent to me off list
> over night from others, suggesting that Mike's response was probably not
> appropriate.

I could only guess as to why they replied off-line rather than
contributing to the forum. Sounds very conspiratorial.

> Some of my friends who are dyed in the wool Windows sufferers
> have stayed away from Linux because of a perceived arrogance from Linux

 I give up. I really wish you good luck, and I'd like to help,
but this whinging is getting too much. Sorry.

How about a little tolerance for short replies that are just trying to
help? We dont have time to coocoon every reply in diplomatic, politically
correct kid-glove language, just in case some poor delicate
newbie (I dont mean you) is offended by discovering he isnt perfect.

> to be careful how we phrase our replies to the bleeding obvious. If PLUG
> doesn't want to tolerate the inexperienced, they should not promote
> installfests and the PLUG list as a resource for newcomers.

What are you on Dennis ????  Newbies are most welcome, but we'd rather
they didnt burst into tears and go home e.g. the first time someone asks
them to trim their quotes in replies. They might just learn a little.

So lets all calm down and have a group hug,

Mike Holland  <mike at golden.wattle.id.au>
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