Speaking as someone who uses Perl for work, but is also an academic
specializing in Chaucerian studies, and who divorced a man for his
belief that his flaws were his flaws and that's just who he is and the
whole world should just get over themselves:
There is a lot to be said for delivery. You don't have to tell me that
anything I have produced is "a good attempt" or in any other way
mollycoddle me, as I am an adult. Nothing will be learned if we all
require pussy-footed feedback.
On the other hand, simply calling something bad, stupid or useless is
also not going to contribute to anyone's betterment. Say that something
is too verbose, and we will know that there is too much of it; say that
something is convoluted and we will know that it is poorly organized;
Say that something is lacking in checks and balances, and we will know
that we need to add more logic to both our process and our program; say
that something is insecure, and we will know to taint the bajeezus out
of it. Give the brick you lob initially some real meaning and it can
then guide our subsequent questions.
If you must, and you don't mind being pigeon-holed with a bunch of other
programmers into the
how-sad-he-must-have-asspergers-I-wonder-if-he-has-friends category, go
ahead and lace any meaningful criticism you might be kind enough to
offer with mean(ingless) modifiers like "bad" or "stupid". We will turn
the other cheek, but also perhaps look the other way when we are having
a day bad enough (or have internal issues delicate enough) that putting
up with someone else's lack of people skills isn't worth the edification.
Saying, however, that other people should cheerfully accept general,
non-edifying asshattery, or rudeness that most adults - regardless of
people-skill-level - can identify as such, simply because that is Who
You(pl.) Are is as pointless as the rest of us not seeking help with our
code. People and code are, at their best, both works in progress, no?
The very fact that people volunteer their time on this list is
honorable. Certainly, no volunteer would tell us not to attempt to
better our code if there were call for it. I consider the occasional
visit from the manners patrol as a worthy attempt by the group to get
people to do the same with their own selves.
I thank everyone on this list who has taught me something, but I must
say that on this list I often wait for the stream to bring me answers I
can use, rather than asking questions myself unless the situation or
time constraints are dire.
Bless.
Kristin Nielsen
Web Developer
San Diego Zoo
On 4/19/11 3:33 PM, Shawn H Corey wrote:
On 11-04-19 06:25 PM, Randal L. Schwartz wrote:
If they don't have a thick skin already, they'd better get one soon, or
they'll be useless as an advanced programmer.
That's the stupidest thing I ever heard.
PS: If you don't like my comment, grow a thick skin!
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