in reply to A modest request of Merlyn

In the thread hash problem, the original poster didn't specify in what context (networked or otherwise) the code would be used. merlyn certainly could have pointed out the insecurity and slowness of delirium's code without resorting to name calling - politeness doesn't cost a penny.

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•Re^2: A modest request of Merlyn
by merlyn (Sage) on Jul 13, 2004 at 15:50 UTC
    To me, in an ideal space of time, being both effective and polite is obviously the ideal. But when I have time for only one, I pick effective. Some people I know pick polite instead, and those are usually the ones that rag on me when I choose the other. I understand that, because it's a conflict of goals.

    But please let me be clear. I will always take the time to be straight with you. I will not always take the time to package it nicely. In the long run, I believe that is what you want. In the short run, I'll take my licks and mop up the mess later.

    I would also ask the same in return. If you have something to say to me, I'd rather you be straight than be nice, if you have to choose.

    -- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker
    Be sure to read my standard disclaimer if this is a reply.

[reply]

      Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" -- she always called me Elwood -- "In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant."

      Well, for years I was smart.

      I recommend pleasant.

      And you may quote me.

      Spoken by James Stewart as the character Elwood P. Dowd in the 1950 film "Harvey"

       

[reply]
      But when I have time for only one, I pick effective.

      Baloney. It isn't a matter of time, it's a matter of frame of mind. There is no excuse for being unnecessarily rude.

      We're all rude, from time to time. That's the reality of human interaction. But we have a choice: we can be rude and own it, or we can be rude and be hypocrites about it. For some reason -- which I'll leave to the sociologists among us to figure out -- all perl monks, with only one or two exceptions, choose the former.

[reply]
        Consider for a moment that "being rude" is a lot more about the recipient than about the speaker. What constitutes "rude" is not a universal item.

        So you're saying that either (a) more people err on the side of caution, actually missing opportunities to impact and make a difference, or (b) everyone is a lot more psychic than I am, and does the right thing magically?

        I'd rather be in the category of (c) I'll say things as I see them, and as I'd want to be treated, and if that's seen as rude by the recipient, I'll acknowledge that and mop up the mess.

        I've not done ONE thing here that I wouldn't be the willing recipient of. I really do believe in that golden rule thing, in case you get the reference.

        Maybe this is also driven by personal history. I believe there were many times that people withheld knowledge from me because they were "being nice". I have evidence that this has done more damage to me than good. I am vowing never to make that mistake for others. I promise it. I'm commited to it. I will communicate straightly about what is going on, even if initially it is seen as "rude". Because to me, "wanting to be liked" does not trump "wanting to make a difference", like it does for some^Wmost people.

        -- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker
        Be sure to read my standard disclaimer if this is a reply.

[reply]
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      You must type awfully fast or have a very slow politeness filter, if the excess verbiage you used to lambast the poster and his suggestion and (particularly) to lament your not having pre-emptively posted your standard reply was less of a time consideration than coming up with the idea of posting only the labeled link would have been.

      DON'T USE EVAL FOR THIS!

      Had that been the entire body of your post, you would not have been rude, and you would have been every bit as effective. Your histrionics did not add any effectiveness.

      We're not really tightening our belts, it just feels that way because we're getting fatter.
[reply]

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