On 31/07/2013 23:22, Stroller wrote: > > On 31 July 2013, at 20:38, Alan McKinnon wrote: >>> ... >>> Heck! Even according to yourself, in the same email, I'm not understanding >>> it wrong! >>> >>> >>> I've asked you this before - would you stop wrongly telling people they're >>> wrong, please? >>> >>> Would you please just stop and think "could it be me who is >>> misunderstanding this?" >>> >>> Could you please just rephrase yourself "I think you may be mistaken". >>> >>> Whenever it is *you* who is mistaken, you are always assertively and >>> authoritatively so. >>> >>> This makes it harder for people to question or challenge you, and it >>> ensures those you misadvise will waste their time with greater >>> determination. "Well, Alan knows what he's on about, and he said this >>> definitely - there was no doubt in his statement". >>> >>> Not only that, it's just plain annoying to be told one is wrong when one is >>> not. >> >> >> Sure, I can do that. >> >> I read "that there will be files installed to /etc/init.d/ that don't >> actually do anything" different to what you intended. English can be >> very ambiguous. >> >> If we take "You are understanding it wrong." out of my mail is the rest OK? > > The problem with the rest of that message was that, although accurate, it > stemmed from the assumption that someone else must have misunderstood. > > A similar explanation had already been given in this thread - I'd read that, > and that's why I was responding. > > Had you instead asked "what do you mean?" or "why does that bother you?" you > would have given me the opportunity to clarify. > > Had I shown a misunderstanding upon further elaboration, that would been your > opportunity to demonstrate your wisdom. > > Everyone here respects your knowledge and experience, it just feels like > you're in such a rush to be helpful that you assume someone else must've > screwed up.
This might sound a bit weird, but I type like I speak. I never developed a distinct writing style different from a spoken style, and people who know me in person comment on it often. And I don't proof-read enough either. My bad. I don't have any of these problems with face-to-face conversation, but it doesn't work too good over email. I'm not unaware of how I probably come across, and I'm working on it. Admittedly I'm not having a huge amount of success just yet, but I am working on it. Several smart folk tell me it takes time. Are we OK on this for now, or is there more to discuss? -- Alan McKinnon alan.mckin...@gmail.com
