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Re: "RTFM'ing": readily accessible user documentation?


This is going to be my one and only engagement this week in conversing with individuals who have 
been trained in how they think by TV shows.

On 18 Jan 2002 at 13:39, twidlar wrote:

> Trying to get them to reverse their decision by trying to make them feel
> guilty or suggesting they need therapy is pretty funny. It is little kid
> stuff.

I am glad you were amused. Unfortunately for your no-doubt fragile sense of self-esteem, it may look 
to others like the object of humor is otherwise than you apparently think it is, "twidlar".

In one brief message, your reply has managed to mistate the facts concerning:

 - that there was some "judgement" concerning my proposal at the time I offered my replies. I read no 
such thing: there was no "judgement", instead there was just a bit of knee-jerk reacting and rejecting 
out of hand (and one supportive message confirming that the issue I had was shared by others). There 
was no discussion of the *merits* of the suggestion (other than that "setup doesn't do that" -- which is 
a defeatist and negative non-example of genuine discussion, to which I would reply "so if setup 
doesn't/cannot do that, then let's discuss how can it get accomplished by another means?").

 - that I suggested that someone needed "therapy" in the sense in which you apparently mean to use the 
phrase -- as perjorative and cynical and cliched, as a way of personally attacking people. What exactly 
is it that is *wrong* with therapy, anyway?

 - I wrote nothing that indicates I believe "guilt" to be a useful or valid concept. "Guilt" is for Judeo-
Christian-Moslem believers and those unfortunates who don't think they are, but who have 
nevertheless not been able to disentangle their inner world processes from lifetime immersion in the 
ways of thinking that those cultures have become. I am not of that school of philosophy.

> Cygwin is an excellent product because the people developing are
> competent, focused, use their time well, have good technical judgement,
> understand their users  and set their priorities well. I trust their
> judgement on your "proposal".

Good, then I wonder where the motivation for writing your message comes from? Why would you 
need to write it if nothing you value is threatened? Maybe you understood on a level you cannot 
consciously acknowledge, my words concerning pervasive personal anger and unhappiness? Well, it 
would just be a speculation on my part to suggest any such a thing about you. Not that the folks who 
have been replying negatively to my messages haven't largely been doing exactly that: with absolutely 
NO idea who I am they rip right ahead with abundant characterizations and critiques that base 
themselves on thoughtless assumptions about me. It's my intent not to follow their example, however.

I have been reading this List for a long time -- along with many others. I believe that if one added up 
all the time I've observed some folks spend "scolding" others for speaking up, as you have just spent 
here, to me -- and instead calculated what could be accomplished if those individuals like you doing 
the scolding put that time to productive use (or even -- gasp -- answering the question!), we could 
probably have seen the completion of a `mach'  kernal come out of it (for instance). It amazes me that 
some folks here are so addicted to reacting angrily and acting like superior, stuffy old aunts waggling 
their fingers at disobedient "children", that they cannot see what a pointless rut they are in.

    Soren Andersen


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