Please keep it
civil on these lists.
I would like to keep things civil. However, considering that
most every time (not literally every time) I unsubscribe
from the lists, usually for personal reasons not related to
TDE, then resubscribe, there seems to be some kind of
flaming going on. I find this very discouraging. Therefor,
me possibly leaving is not based on this one event. If we
can keep this from happening, I do not see any reason to
leave TDE. If, however, the flaming continues to occur, then
yes, I will leave.
And as far as I'm considered, I do not see any reason to try
to make someone look like the bad guy just because he or she
is trying to express an opinion or feeling about a
situation, as has happened here.
I have worked as a technical writer for more than two decades. I have done a lot of
expository writing as well. In those years I have learned that communicating in written
form is challenging and seldom easy. With only the written word, readers do not have the
advantage of body motion or facial expressions and cannot easily perceive context.
Finding the appropriate words to share our thoughts and ideas is hard.
Letters form words, words form sentences, and sentences represent ideas. A single word can
be interpreted differently by many people. Language barriers further extend those
interpretations. Those differences in symbolic representation affect the context in which
text is received.
The challenge is further complicated in lists and forums because 1) many people get lazy
with expressing themselves, 2) many press the send button without proofreading, 3)
language barriers introduce complexities that often are ignored, 4) many start a response
without reading the entire message, 6) many type a response without pausing to contemplate
full context and language barriers, 7) many fail to count to 10 before responding, and 8)
many presume everybody is using words in the same way and manner.
Yes, I have ignored all of the above at one time or another. :) Therefore most times my
response sits in my text editor for a long time before I forward anything.
People will always disagree. No hiding from that. People will always misunderstand one
another. No hiding from that either. In lists and forums much animosity can be avoided by
pausing, by asking the poster to reexplain, or pressing the delete button.
As I am now in those years when I have more of my life behind me than ahead, pressing the
delete button is easier than arguing, as is blocking addresses. :)
Darrell
