Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!m.cs.uiuc.edu!carey
From: carey@m.cs.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: How do you tell a wizard?
Message-ID: <9100017@m.cs.uiuc.edu>
Date: 17 Oct 89 00:41:02 GMT
References: <31@minya.UUCP>
Lines: 26
Nf-ID: #R:minya.UUCP:31:m.cs.uiuc.edu:9100017:000:994
Nf-From: m.cs.uiuc.edu!carey    Oct 16 14:07:00 1989


So the unix wizard's magic incantation is "that depends..." ???

This approach can be really annoying... ask someone a question, their
response is "that depends, is it an ACME computer?  Does it have front
panel switches?  Do you have widgets, geehaws, or shebangers?  Is it
version 5.8.0.3a?  What do people use it for?  Do you run wat4?  Did
you get this from a reputable dealer?  What is the astrological configuration?
........

So you spend half an hour going over all the "that depends" and it turns
out the guy is just stalling to cover up his answer which is "I dunno"

I would rather answer a question,  "in most circumstances (or in my experience)
this is most likely to be the answer" ... (then give an answer which is
probably wrong anyway), then say " but that depends on this and that, 
and the other thing, blah, blah, blah.....



-----
John Carey (not a unix wizard)
University of Illinois
Dept. of Computer Science
carey@a.cs.uiuc.edu
{uu-net,pur-ee,convex,...}!uiucdcs!carey