On Tue, Aug 4, 2015 at 11:06 PM, Ned Batchelder <n...@nedbatchelder.com> wrote: > > On Tuesday, August 4, 2015 at 2:32:16 PM UTC-4, sohca...@gmail.com wrote: > > milos: "You can't uninstall Python because it will break things" > > Grant: "Actually, you CAN uninstall Python, but it will break things" > > > > I really fucking hate how pedantic some of the people on this mailing list are. > > > > milos wasn't wrong. You just chose to take his message too literally. I thought it was pretty clear that when milos said "can't", he really meant "shouldn't". > > While I am often dismayed at the pedantry on this list (and many others), > in this case, I think the clarification was warranted. When a beginner > is about to attempt something dangerous, it is prudent to be sure the > instructions are clear. > > "You can't uninstall, because things won't work" sounds a bit like, > "you literally will not be able to uninstall things, because the operating > system will prevent you because it protects itself." > > I wouldn't want the next message to be the original asker saying, "No, > look, I was able to uninstall just fine!" without realizing they were > damaging their system. >
Pedantry sort of comes with the territory. It's in the job description, so to speak. DJ Wiza should know that. There's that used joke of the programmer's wife that asks him to bring 3 loaves of bread and if there are any eggs to bring a dozen, and the programmer brings her wife a dozen loaves of bread. But being an asshole does not. That is something one chooses to become. Your answer squarely puts you in the group of people that chose to be in life to be a pain to others and actually gain the respect of even those that don't even know them. Unlike some other people in here. But Mark is right in a way... People like him is a reason I rarely frequent this place anymore.
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