Subject:
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Re: what is this folow up thingy?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.fun
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Date:
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Mon, 26 Oct 1998 23:41:16 GMT
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Reply-To:
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cjc@newsguy.com&saynotospam&
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Viewed:
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652 times
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Linc Smith <ldsmith@pfc.forestry.ca> wrote:
> I keep waiting for you back down a bit from this stance, but wow!
Sometimes I hold onto those opinions that are counter to other
peoples' longer just for fun. :)
> I feel it comes down to this... if I were your friend, and you asked, I
> wouldn't mind helping you with your car.
Well, if it were something like helping me replace a tail light I
could see that, but I didn't really just mean a one time or rare
ocurrance among best friends.
It sucks being everybody's computer guy. I bet it sucks being
everybody's mechanic as well. :)
> I wouldn't think you any less for asking, and I would NOT ask... why you
> hadn't just experimented with the car, like I did in high school? I mean
> after all, I wasn't a wealthy child, and I received no instruction from my
> teachers, yet I know a lot about car repair. Why shouldn't everybody know
> about car repair? Do you have some "strange sort of pride in" your lack of
> car repair knowledge?
Well, actually, I have a decent bit of shame at not knowing more about
cars. Both my father and my father-in-law know a billion times more
than I do, and I know they must think me the slacker for not bothering
to learn, but the fact is, it isn't important to me. It isn't worth
as much of my time to deal with it - I'd rather pay someone else to do
it.
That's a key difference for me, though, when talking about people and
help with their computers. The person who would drive his car up to
Pep Boys and expect to pay $150 for fixing something he caused (or
something that just plained happened) will call my office, an office
that technically is only responsible for supporting dial-up and dorm
ethernet connections, and EXPECT my technicians to do things ranging
from re-installing Windows 98 after they hosed it with the
installation of some stupid new game to doing low-level hardware
troubleshooting on seemingly dead components like CDROMS, sound cards,
etc.
You'd be amazed at how many people take offense when I point out that
a) dealing with that sort of thing isn't what we do (and are not
allowed to do) but b) name off a few local computer shops that would
be glad to help them for a price. "You mean I have to PAY?!"
To which I usually respond, in my mind of course, "yeah, you 65 year
old professor emeritus who probably only ever worked 12 hours a week
your whole life and who now only sits at home collecting your pension
while typing away on this nice new computer the students of this
university bought you through your department, yeah, you have to pay."
(Yeah, I have issues. <g>)
> Now, I *know* that you can pay someone to change your oil or adjust your
> brakes, and if you did this it would be easier for me (given that my help is
> the alternative) and this would make you completely self-sufficient. But
> why? I enjoy helping my friends, and it usually means that when I need help
> they will enjoy helping me. And if I never receive reciprocal help from
> that friend... who cares, hearing "thanks a lot Linc" is worth my effort.
Don't get me wrong, as much as I seem like an ass at times, I'm a
fairly nice guy too. I enjoy helping my friends and family. There
are times, though, when it would be nice to have my knowledge be a
secret. :)
> I am new here, and I get the feeling that you have been a major contributor
> in the Lego internet scene for some time. Perhaps you have seen too many
> trivial questions asked. Perhaps you have seen the same mistakes repeated
> over and over. I but I think you are in error if you believe that because
> you know the answer to a simple question, that the question was directed at
> you. The question is directed at anyone willing to help, NOT to the larger
> subset of those who hold the answer. It is unfortunate that you (we) have
> to read the posts from newbies, and yes, people who asked a question too
> early. But this is a newsgroup, and that's the cost of doing business here!
Yup, totally agree. Not going to argue because, if you'll notice, I
set the followup-to for this thread to .off-topic.fun, not
off-topic.debate. :)
> I want to say that this is only *my opinion* and is not a condemnation of
> yours. Any personal affront you might read is COMPLETELY unintended.
Oh, I got paid to sit in an NT Admin class all day and found out I
have another $10k worth of training paid for starting in November,
after which I'll have my MCSE+Internet and will probably either get a
substantial raise or try on my walking shoes towards bigger and better
things. Nothing can bother me right now. :)
--
Unofficial listing of weekly US Lego Shop at Home phone specials
http://www.lugnet.com/lsahs/ (discontinued thru Holiday season)
800-835-4386 (S@H USA) / 800-267-5346 ext 222 (S@H Canada)
www.lugnet.com/news - Meet more LEGO fans in your area through LUGNET
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: what is this folow up thingy?
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| Mike Stanley wrote in message ... (...) That strikes me as a very typical statement for a lot of computer people. I'm still trying to decide why. Perhaps it's because computers break down so often, compared to cars. Perhaps people think they (...) (26 years ago, 27-Oct-98, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)
| | | Re: what is this folow up thingy?
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| I never imagined this thing will be ended up such a deep thread..:-)May I call my first Lego fame?..:-D Mike, I think you won't bother with my messages after the first "...please don't" message, but I need to speak some more. I can get the point in (...) (26 years ago, 27-Oct-98, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: what is this folow up thingy?
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| Mike Stanley wrote in message ... (...) Mike, I keep waiting for you back down a bit from this stance, but wow! I feel it comes down to this... if I were your friend, and you asked, I wouldn't mind helping you with your car. I wouldn't think you any (...) (26 years ago, 26-Oct-98, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)
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