Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 13:01:29 -0500
Reply-To: Dianne Rhodes <RHODESD1@WESTAT.COM>
Sender: "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: Dianne Rhodes <RHODESD1@WESTAT.COM>
Subject: Re: SAS-L Panel / Kind and Gentle, or Not
Content-Type: text/plain
First off, Howard, thanks for posting these. Seasons greetings to all. As
a UU on Sunday we had a Christmas tree, menorah, and solstice celebration!
> From: David L. Cassell [mailto:cassell.david@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2003 12:40 PM
> > In Dianne's view, while most responses are gentle, people sometimes
> >are not tactful in correcting or disputing the statements of
> >others. She voiced concern that this discourages some people from
posting.
>
David replied:
> I agree. But sometimes the problem is more subtle, and not
> at all apparent to a new poster. Sometimes the 'lack of
> tact' problem is because the second responder knows the first
> responder well enough to address him in a rather peremptory
> fashion. If I harass Bill Viergever about one of his
> responses, it is because he knows me well enough to ignore me.
>
Exactly! When I was at the New School working towards a degree in
Sociology,
I took a number of courses that focused on group behaviour. And this type
of
"in-group" activity is one of the things that makes it hard for a new person
to
Join in. When we converse like we all know each other, its like picking up
a
Telephone that has a party-line and wondering when it is appropriate to jump
in.
> For those of you out there reading this and debating about
> contributing their first answer, let me say this: "try it,
> you'll like it."
>
I well remember the first time I posted an answer, and Ian Whitlock jumped
down my throat.<vbg> I had recently left a project management position and
was trying to hone my somewhat neglected technical skills. As a matter of
fact, Ian still often jumps on my posts as inadequate or not quite right.
And again, that is part of the problem. As a group we all have ideas of
what is the best way to solve a problem. However, if I coded a "Whitlock do
loop" in my programs, the other programmers I work with would accuse me of
making my code harder to understand; eg. Job security.<g>
Dianne Louise Rhodes
Sr. Systems Analyst
Westat
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