How Would You Like That Gear Ground?

It really does grind my gears. "It" will be explained shortly.

This blog I see as a breathing space for me apart from the professional face that I’m learning to have when dealing as "Archer Technology Services".

So I’m definately going to have a rant now and again. Hopefully not too often.

Okay. Here goes.

I got whipped today on the Clarion newsgroups (comp.lang.clarion) for announcing DeleteThem. Why?

Because it is just a GUI for the command line DEL function.

Seriously. That’s insanity wrapped in stupid foil. Of course that’s what DeleteThem is! I would never proclaim it to be an awesome product filled with a multitude of magnificant functionality. It’s a nice GUI with a history of deleted files that you can browse or print. That’s about it. There will be more functionality as time goes on perhaps.

But that’s not the real heart of the matter is it?

Since "that article" yesterday, I’ve had a few sides of the coin weigh in. Some have earnestly put their words together. Others have used <g> way too much (of which I am guilty it pains me to say). Others still have just opened up with a six gun. And don’t presume I’m just talking about people who don’t agree with me.

What grinds my gears. What really grinds my gears is that, despite the fact that DeleteThem is a GUI on top of a single function, someone would take time to try and make me feel a fool for daring to announce such an application on the newsgroups. Because we are programmers.

I’d like to start firing off witty harsh phrases right now. They are burning within me.

But what roils within me, stronger still, is a need to call out these folk. Turn. Stop this foolishness. It’s not at all what the community needs. There are always fives sides to why someone says something, or does an act, or thinks a thought. Sure. But right now, the colors I’m wielding are Black and White.

Enough. I’m sick of it, and here I’ve only really been trying hard on the newsgroups for a few days. Can only imagine how some feel after years and years.

To all the readers of this blog who frequent the newsgroups and feel the same way, I have a request. Take an hour a week to post a couple of replies, thoughtfully, with the sole (single and pure) purpose of growing the community. This could be announcing a new product and following up any comments. It could be putting together an insightfully witty animal yarn. Perhaps you’d just like to encourage those new faces asking questions.

Whatever it is, please let’s bring it. Enough is enough.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *