Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!batcomputer!cornell!rochester!udel!haven.umd.edu!purdue!news.cs.indiana.edu!samsung!mips!apple!apple.com!rmh From: rmh@apple.com (Rick Holzgrafe) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: Risk of the trade (was Re: GIFS WON'T WORK (sniffle) Message-ID: <14239@goofy.Apple.COM> Date: 24 Jun 91 21:53:37 GMT Sender: usenet@Apple.COM Organization: Apple Computer, Inc. Lines: 38 In article <1991Jun21.090010.9325@gorm.ruc.dk> jba@gorm.ruc.dk (Jan B. Andersen) writes: > Programming and the use of programming languages with their strict > syntax and semantics, also affects how we use spoken language. Sloopy wording > gets nailed almost automatically - just for the fun of seeing the innocent > person getting confused, when s/he thought it was a "5.0 disk" as opposed > to a "5 1/4 inch floppy disk in MS-DOS format with some Word Perfect 5.0 > documents on it". > > What should we do about it? Should we try to educate them in how express > themselves correctly or should we let them get away with it? I see nothing in our profession/avocation that prohibits common courtesy. When faced with a request such as the example you quote, I'll respond with either "I didn't quite understand your posting, but if your situation is , then you can "." or, if truly confused, with "I didn't quite understand your posting. Did you mean , or , or something different?" I'm not Miss Manners (Hi, David), but I can't see any excuse for answering a polite if confused request for help with "BZZZZT! Wrong!" The above corrects them while (trying to) help solve the problem. ...and by the way, "sloopy" is properly spelled with one "o" and two "p"s, while "how express themselves correctly" is incorrectly expressed, being an improper use of the infinitive. :-) :-) :-) ========================================================================== Rick Holzgrafe | AppleLink: HOLZGRAFE1 rmh@apple.com Software Engineer | These are my opinions, Apple Computer, Inc. | and probably aren't Apple's.