[R] Re: Protocol for answering basic questions

[Spencer Graves]

      Our great-great grandchilren as yet unborn may read some of the 
stupid questions and / or answers that I and perhaps others give from 
time to time.  I'd rather get flamed for saying something stupid in 
public on this list than to continue to provide substandard service to 
the people with whom I work because I perpetrated the same mistake in an 
environment in which no one questioned so effectively my errors. 

      Best Wishes,
      spencer

michael watson (IAH-C) wrote:

>Here here!
>
>Getting flamed for asking dumb questions on a public mailing list is all part of growing up and being a man/woman.  We've all been there, and quite frankly, even the most basic questions on R-Help get a decent answer from someone, and all for free, so who cares if you get a bit of rudeness or not!
>
>Next we'll be seeing lawsuits being brought against people on R-Help for not being polite enough.  You couldn't make it up!
>
>M
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:	r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch on behalf of Rolf Turner
>Sent:	Wed 12/1/2004 5:52 PM
>To:	r-help at stat.math.ethz.ch
>Cc:	
>Subject:	[R] Re: Protocol for answering basic questions
>
>I think that enough bandwidth has been expended on this topic.  Many
>people have attempted, patiently, to explain why the protocol to
>which the r-help list currently adhers is necessary and close to
>optimal.  The thin-skinned whiners who wish to be told ``Yes, dear,
>that was an ***excellent*** question'' are not going to listen to or
>understand these explanations.  If they wish to take their business
>elsewhere, let them.  They won't be missed.  (It will do them less
>than no good, in the long run, to do so --- but that's their lookout.)
>
>I don't know if there is a causative relationship, but this whiny
>attitude is strongly reminiscent of the philosophy which seems to
>prevail in most school systems in the English speaking world whereby
>teachers dare not criticize students' work for fear of damaging their
>self esteem.
>
>				cheers,
>
>					Rolf Turner
>					rolf at math.unb.ca
>
>P. S.  And here I was, all these years, thinking that
>       ``self esteem'' was Italian for ``sauna''.
>
>					R. T.
>
>______________________________________________
>R-help at stat.math.ethz.ch mailing list
>https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
>PLEASE do read the posting guide! http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
>
>______________________________________________
>R-help at stat.math.ethz.ch mailing list
>https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
>PLEASE do read the posting guide! http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
>  
>

-- 
Spencer Graves, PhD, Senior Development Engineer
O:  (408)938-4420;  mobile:  (408)655-4567