Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!apple!jdevoto
From: jdevoto@Apple.COM (Jeanne A. E. DeVoto)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hypercard
Subject: Re: Setting userLevel at openStack time & flame
Summary: sheesh.
Message-ID: <39170@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 4 Mar 90 11:05:26 GMT
References: <48201@cc.utah.edu>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 52

In article <48201@cc.utah.edu> KOFOID@cc.utah.edu writes:
>    ...and of course got a typically snotty answer from an Apple rep, who never
>bothered to tell him how to do what he wants to do.

First of all, I am not "an Apple rep". As far as I know, Apple maintains no
official representation here; and in any case I am not an employee of Apple
Computer.

Second, I take issue with "typically snotty". To my knowledge, quite a few
Apple employees do read and post to comp.sys.mac.*, on their own time and
initiative: they provide a great deal of assistance for which I for one am
grateful. I have yet to see a message from an Apple employee on these
newsgroups that is less than professional and helpful.

Third, I not only told him what the problem was that was causing the userLevel
to reset itself, I suggested a second solution that would do what he wanted
while solving some other problems at the same time.

>>>>> FLAME ON
>    When did you last see Apple post the source code for its ROMs, the Finder,
>MacWrite, MacPaint, etc., etc.? Until they do so, I'd prefer that they or their
>representatives answer users' questions with a minimum of sarcasm. Embarrassing
>some poor soul because he or she isn't quite as clever as a professional
>programmer isn't the point of this newsgroup.
>
> Possibly, the employee doesn't really represent her company when she writes
>(then, why identify the company?). Unfortunately, I've found this attitude all
>too typical whenever one needs technical help from Apple and does not happen to
>be a large, multinational, for-megaprofit corporation. Her approach is
>irritating, regardless, for the reasons stated.

Look. I spend a huge amount of time here and elsewhere answering questions
of all sorts about HyperCard and HyperTalk. I do it primarily because I enjoy
it and learn from it; secondarily because by making myself available in this
way as a resource of knowledge about the subject, I may have some small
influence on its future direction. What that means is that along with the
help and the answers and the example scripts, I sometimes broadcast opinions
about things that matter to me. One of those things, as you may have noticed,
is the open sharing of code and ideas: I get on a soapbox pretty much every
time I'm asked how to guard code or copy-protect a program.

If you want the help, you gotta listen to the opinionated rants; sorry, but
it's the price of admission. If you find my opinions sufficiently "irritating" 
that you would prefer to skip both the help and the opinions, fine. The command
is /jdevoto/h:j.
-- 
====== jeanne a. e. devoto ========================================
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