Re: [tlug] Regarding intolerance

[Ryan Shaw <ryan.shaw@example.com>]

Good post, Norman.

One thing I would add: don't assume that what looks like a flame
is necessarily a flame. As everyone who has used email for more
than a few weeks has no doubt noticed, the lack of key signifiers
like tone of voice, facial expressions, etc. make it very difficult
sometimes to gauge the meaning or intent of statements.

This is why one ought to "think before typing," to make sure
that innocent words won't be misinterpreted. I am guilty of not
doing this, since it was my comment which was misinterpreted as
a flame, touching off our recent conflagration:

> Someone who used the command line all their lives might be as ignorant about
> X as someone who used GUIs all their lives might be ignorant about command
> lines.  Either try teaching them once or remain silent.  There is no call
> for attacking until after you've explained things properly and they refuse
> to learn.

Norman, as others did, assumed that I was flaming when I said:

"Does it blow anybody else's mind that there are people out
 there using Linux who don't know what the command line is?"

But as I explained later, what blew my mind was *not* "the
stupidity of newbies" but "how far Linux desktop technology
has progressed."

Imagine, for example, if machine translation technology were
perfected, and a handheld device were developed which translated
spoken English into perfect Japanese. If I were to run into 
someone here in Japan negotiating contracts or something in 
Japanese using one of these devices, I would likely say:

"Does it blow anybody else's mind that there are people out
 there negotiating contracts who don't know a word of Japanese?"

I wouldn't scorn people using such a device. I'd be running to
go pick one up myself!

My point is, the corollary of "think before typing" is "think 
after reading", and don't assume that you have been attacked 
unless it is CRYSTAL clear.

Ryan

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