Re: [UUG/MLUG] xemacs question & other questions

[Jonathan King <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Tue, 4 Jan 2000, Mike Miller wrote:

> General issue--
> 
> If someone asks "How can I do Foo using program Bar?", which is the
> better response:
> 
> (A) Tell them to stop using Bar and use MyFave because you know how to
>     do Foo using MyFave.
>
> (B) Wait for someone else to answer the question.
> 
> I think B is a better response, but sometimes (not just on this list)
> I think I'm in the minority.  :-)

I think it depends on what you know.  

If you know both Bar and MyFave, and MyFave is an easier or more standard
way to do Foo, that might be worth pointing out.

Or, if you know that doing Bar with Foo loses totally, in the sense that
it will cause grief/pain/insanity, then I think it's reasonable to mention
that (tactfully), no matter what.  It could well be the case that the
person is Asking The Wrong Question (tm).

Otherwise, I agree that B is probably better, especially if your answer
would otherwise be provocative because it touches on a religious issue
such as your choice of editor, window manager, or programming language.

jking

ps--I was just sick enough to think of the "drop into vi-mode" as the
    answer to this question as well. :-)




 
but that MyFave is an easy 
is a
total lose,


Well, if MyFave is an obvious win, and you have a feeling it wasn't
used in the first place only because of a brain cramp

 
> Mike
>