As a supplement to Ovid's defense of merlyn, I offer the following perspective:

merlyn isn't your peer, or even your friend. He doesn't see a need to engage in inefficient ego-boosting to maintain a healthy(?) working relationship with you. He is a professional in his field and is both respected and honoured by many. He is offering his free time to offer you valuable criticism. His time is valuable. He is posting a terse critical opinion with which he hopes you can find useful, without substantial cost to him. (i.e. if he had to buy you flowers every time he hurt your ego, it would cost him)

From the outside looking in, this definately can look like a snotty pseudo-intellectual baring his chest and declaring that anybody who does other than he does is an incompetent fool. But -- it can also look like somebody avoiding the usual word mincing that occurs in order to get straight to the point. What you read into it is your own choice. Whether merlyn is an a$$ or not an a$$ is irrelevant. He is offering you value for free, that he normally charges big bucks for.

Personally I think merlyn *could* soften his tone, however, I do not believe that he *must* soften his tone. If this is the way that he chooses to give out professional value for free, there isn't much you or I can, or should do to argue. He didn't slight you. He slighted your decision.

So... enjoy life a little more... :-)

In reply to Re: merlyn is not an ogre by MarkM
in thread A little thought about kindness by pg

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