Please people. I urge you all to kindly fuck off. This is getting ridiculous. You are arguing about *tone*. Who gives a flying fuck about tone if the post has substance? Are we fucking two? Are our egos so fragile that we can't take the slightest of drubbings? So sensitive that a word in caps can start this kind of shitstorm?
(Apparently yes, but bear with me for a sec) Tone trolls, the lot of you. Yes, being nice is fine and all, and it's a beginners list, so handholding should be the aim. And rudeness for rudeness sake is utterly counterproductive. But I've been on this list for a while now, and I can't recall a single instance of someone being rude when replying a question. ...I'll be the first to admit that my memory is crap, but nevertheless, until someone has provided links to substantiate these claims, please drop the strawman. On the topic of tone, if an error is so egregious that it must be corrected, strong language sometimes is needed to drive the point. Personally, I still wouldn't condone that kind terseness... When directly answering the beginner. But answers themselves? That's an entirely different domain. By answering, you are claiming to be an expert; As an expert, you are opening your answer and code to full scrutiny. If you choose to be the kind of teacher who will always answer with a smile and kindly nudge people into enlightenment, good for you. But spare the rest of us of the lecture. You'll find that not wasting your time trying to control how others communicate can be quite freeing. :) (A side note for Tiago and Lali and any other PhD student and/or scientist out there: Just mention your situation and you are assured, to the best of my ability, a hand-holding reply from me. Which may turn out to be respectful silence as I'm not an expert, but well. I have a soft spot for science, which can probably be "traced back to a math or science teacher" (or blogger) that I appreciate :p) Brian.