Posted by Jochem Maas on 10/20/89 11:24

Jay Blanchard wrote:
> [snip]
> What is the point of taking this attitude with a poster who (I'm
> guessing
> from his name) is a non-native English speaker? He asks a perfectly
> polite,
> intelligible and on-topic question. Even if he isn't a good proportion
> of

the question was VAGUE ... this is IT not sociology ...
questions that start 'is it possible' are pretty much asking for a 'yes.'
or a 'maybe.'

if the OP takes the hint and develops his ability to succinctly ask questions
(one that don't implicitly ask someone else to provide a complete solution to
a very general problem!!) then everyone benefits - him most of all.

besides getting the equivelant of a RTFM is kinding telling the OP, your
not a total noob anymore, time to fend for yourself - he could take it as a compliment ;-).

> posters are non-native speakers, and I imagine they find this kind of
> thing
> a little intimidating.

I know people who find it intimidating to sit in a room alone or go to
the supermarket. feeling intimidated is a state of mind but not anyone's
intention here (AFAICT)

> [/snip]
>
> Yes, I suppose your are correct. His english was remarkably well written
> so I did not suspect that he was foreign and I didn't even look at the
> e-mail address for the reply.

the guy is german - most germans speak/write better english people do.
just like they build better cars. ;-) so no pity for [male] germans. :-P

_only joking_

> The point is this, as more and more folks take to mailing lists such as
> this there are good practices and bad practices. We all need to learn
> good practices, like avoiding top-posting.
>
> You have exercized your right to point out what may be a bad practice,
> me answering the OP in a sarcastic tone is a bad thing. You taking me on
> for same is a bad thing, especially when you do not mark the subject as
> now being off topic, such as I have done. How long have you been mailing
> to mailing lists?
>
> I suppose that the good old days are long gone. The ones where newbies
> were whipped into shape with just a few keystrokes. I guess we need to

keep wipin' Jay! - they love you for it in the end :-) besides there is lots
of work to do if we want to drag the masses forward (e.g. praise the day that
there will be no more questions regarding register_globals!)

> be more politically correct and sensitive to the needs of others now. In
> the spirit of this I will refrain from answering the "is it possible"
> questions. Heck I may not answer any others either as my old school
> cumrudgeonly attitude may be too much for others, especially those folks
> who do not hail from english speaking countries.

now look what you have done Mark!

>
> My apologies to any and all who were offended by my curt response.

since when are you called Curt? ;-)

>

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