[MPlayer-users] firewalls needed :)

dan carter dcarter at waitaki.otago.ac.nz
Wed Dec 19 03:48:18 CET 2001


D J Hawkey Jr wrote:
> 
> Now, as someone pointed out a while back, it may be a cultural thing,
> what with many of the developers coming from what we Westerners call
> Eastern Europe. If this is the case, you'd be wise to "westernize"
> yourselves a bit, as that's where much of your userbase is.

OMG, what an arrogant attitude!!  Why don't you go and
"eastern-europise" yourself?

The developers have taken time away from coding to write, proofread and
publish documentation to assist new users.  Then time and time again
users ask questions that are already answered.

In my university days (here in "western" new zealand), if the lecturer
had carefully explained something, and written it down in handouts, and
then a bunch of students who have been skiping class and come up to his
office and keep asking questions that he has already explained, then he
will say "Read the lecture handouts, read the textbook, and then if you
still don't understand, then you can come back and ask for help"

Teach a man to fish....

Teach a person to read documentation and they will be able to run any
program they want, all by themselves.  Spoon feed them the configuration
option for their specific requirement and they will need spoonfeeding
all their life.



> I wouldn't worry about "damage control", it may be too late for that,
> as you already have a reputation. Were I you, I'd start thinking hard
> and fast about things like "courtesy", "helpfulness", and yes, even
> "modesty". Put them to good use, and you may find that the perception
> of you and the team changes all by itself.

Microsofts developers aren't visibly courteous, helpful or modest.  The
just develop code.  MS has the customer service division to do all the
sucking up to users.  Would you like to start running the mplayer
customer service division?




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