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From: anderson@macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Reward for NeXT's response on the net.
Message-ID: <1991Jan23.005441.24131@macc.wisc.edu>
Date: 23 Jan 91 00:54:41 GMT
References: <TY.91Jan19194345@springs.cis.ufl.edu> <1991Jan20.214014.18419@uncecs.edu> <4152@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> <1991Jan21.203407.12952@nntp-server.caltech.edu> <1991Jan22.172811.1@capd.jhuapl.edu>
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In article <1991Jan22.172811.1@capd.jhuapl.edu>
waltrip@capd.jhuapl.edu (c.f.waltrip) writes:

I don't know anyone who wants to have harrangues, but you
know, these discussions have a lot to do with what sort of
culture and society are emerging as a result of this kind of
forum.	To each of the points you raise, there is an
alternative viewpoint, one I think should be considered,
both by the vendor and by the users here.

>While I agree the NeXT posters have been quite helpful and
>agree that I would like to see NeXT participate, I hate to
>see good technical people get caught up trying to deal
>diplomatically with the sort of fuss that can get started in
>one of these newsgroups.

Why shouldn't they get caught up in it?  And *good*
technical people especially?  Learning how to deal with
"fuss" or whatever won't hurt anyone, and more likely will
help a lot of people.

>My recommendation would be that all net communications from
>NeXT come from a designated person skilled in handling
>marketing communications (and perhaps changing diapers:^)

Passing over the discounting of those you consider infants,
I think a designated person is exactly the wrong direction
to move.  Why not encourage the widest possible
participation?

>Such a person would know when to followup, when to reply and
>when simply to lie low.  S/he could also go to whatever
>technical resources were needed to respond to postings.

Why narrow the participation?  Everyone needs the skills of
knowing how to manage the styles and problems of this kind
of exchange, I think, at least access to it if they so
desire.

>And, in those instances where policy matters were involved,
>might occasionally be able to post an official policy
>statement.

I think any official pronoucements could be clearly labeled
as such; I rather imagine NeXT employees would make sure
before speaking for the company, since their necks would be
on the block.

>Most of the readers of newsgroups and posters to newsgroups
>are responsible, mature, intelligent, informed and desire to
>be helpful.

>A few others--probably just as desirous to be helpful,
>etc.--can't help grinding axes.  This is true of any
>newsgroup.  I suspect that when too much of this occurs, it
>can be harmful to the company whose people are trying to be
>helpful.

What kind of harm are you talking about?  It's not a sin to
grind an axe, and I would say that in our society most
people are far too docile already; a little axe-grinding
might just be what the doctor ordered to be sure the
listeners are listening.  No one is really hurt by that, as
I see it.

>Accordingly, I would recommend leaving net communications to
>the professionals and let the technical gurus do real work.

Though indeed I am a networking professional, I *strongly*
dissent from that view!  The main benefit of all this is to
open it up, not to sequester it as the exclusive province of
a small number of professionals.  As it is in fact a fairly
open forum, the idea you suggest is unworkable in any case.

>But, anyway, thanks to all you NeXT employees for your help.
>All of us are grateful whether we sound like it or not.

You might consider letting "all of us" speak for ourselves,
thank you very much.  Most people seem pretty adept at it.


<> Experts are people who learn more and more about less and
<> less, until eventually they either know everything about
<> nothing or nothing about everything.
--
Jess Anderson <> Madison Academic Computing Center <> University of Wisconsin
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