in reply to Re: On answering stupid questions
in thread On answering stupid questions

I was especially struck by the harsh way that moritz was treated by the OP. One could imagine a misunderstanding earlier in the thread but that's not the point here.

Is that so harsh? Having already questioned being given a vague and wrong answer, to the wrong question once, and having re-stated and clarified the question. To be given essentially the same vague and wrong answer a second time, is that response really so harsh?


Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
"Too many [] have been sedated by an oppressive environment of political correctness and risk aversion."

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Re^3: On answering stupid questions
by moritz (Cardinal) on Jun 08, 2008 at 16:22 UTC
    Is that so harsh?

    Yes. Any personal attack on somebody who didn't give a wrong answer is too harsh.

    Actually I think that neither vague nor wrong answers are a sufficient reason for personal attacks at all. To me it doesn't matter if somebody else gave wrong answers in the mean time. You can easily see which postings belong to which user, at least if they were logged in. No need to confuse them, and no need to over-generalize.

      How is questioning your twice demonstrated lack of understanding, "a personal attack"?

      If I question your ability to perform brain surgury a "personal attack"? Or simply a question?

      If you were a brain surgeon, you might choose to be offended by it. Even if you are were lousy brain surgeon.

      Surely, even you must recognise that you were a) answering the wrong question; b) giving a vague handwaving answer to the wrong question; c) giving the wrong answer to that wrong question. Twice!

      I think just your pride is hurt. You made a mistake. Admit it and move on. There was no personal attack in that thread.


      Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
      "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
      In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
        How is questioning your twice demonstrated lack of understanding, "a personal attack"?

        I don't think I demonstrated lack of knowledge. I've just not given a working code sample, and instead referred to the documentation, which did contain some very similar code to the one the OP was looking for. Could you please explain to me how these answers were "wrong"?

        How is questioning your twice demonstrated lack of understanding, "a personal attack"?

        Since I don't think I demonstrated lack of knowledge, and the OP accused me of it, I do feel offended. Is that so unnatural?

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Re^3: On answering stupid questions
by igelkott (Priest) on Jun 08, 2008 at 20:19 UTC
    Is that so harsh?

    Guess it's all a matter of your point of view but the OP's reply of:

    Thanks, but I wait till someone who uderstands[sic] the purpose of hashes comes along and gives me the appropriate syntax.
    seemed harsh. Hard to explain without "I know it when I see it" but it just didn't seem appropriate from someone who was asking others for help. Good answer, bad answer, misunderstanding -- doesn't matter. It's fine to disagree, wonderful to disagree, but in my protected little world, it's best to remain civil.

    My comment was a bit OT and this reply deviates even further. I certainly don't want to debate etiquette or get into your dialog with moritz but it would have been rude ;-) of me not to answer your question (even if was meant rhetorically).