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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: bikeshedding by a list veteran
From:       James Richard Tyrer <tyrerj () acm ! org>
Date:       2006-03-15 0:31:03
Message-ID: 44176047.7050504 () acm ! org
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Scott Wheeler wrote:
> On Wednesday 15 March 2006 0:27, James Richard Tyrer wrote:
>> [...] explaining to people why they are wrong is something which promotes a 
>> rational discussion.  While just shouting "You are wrong", as you have done,
>> has the opposite result. 
> 
> Be that as it may, it's often still a waste of time.  If I came to you, 
> knowing you're an (let's pretend civil) engineer and said, "You only need 8 
> supports here, not 12."  You probably could explain to me why I was wrong, 
> but it probably wouldn't be worth your time.

If we were both working on the same project, then it should be worth my 
time.  I think that the example would be better if you reversed the 
numbers since if you were correct I would be in serious trouble.  In you 
example, I would probably just tell you that my boss told me to build it 
with a higher than usual safety factor.  It doesn't take much and it is 
much better than just shouting NO I'm right about this.

> And I disagree with Aaron's line at any rate.  Often politeness is a luxury 
> for those with an abundance of time.   (I'm not even polite with my boss, 
> really and he understands why.)

It isn't about politeness.  Engineers are rightly criticized for being 
very direct to the point of being blunt.  I'm not saying that we need to 
be polite, but why take the time to be rude when it would be better to 
just say nothing.

-- 
JRT

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