<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Jan 22, 2008 11:30 AM, Les <<a href="mailto:hlhowell@pacbell.net">hlhowell@pacbell.net</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c">On Mon, 2008-01-21 at 20:41 -0600, Mikkel L. Ellertson wrote:<br>> Les wrote:<br>> > Also if Karl doesn't get it, there will be other much more timid folk<br>> > who also don't get it. When the answer that Karl understands is added
<br>> > to the archives, more people benefit than Karl. I know this from years<br>> > of teaching people complex topics in Test Engineering. I could tell you<br>> > some good stories about some classes, but those people were also serious
<br>> > about learning. Better to have helped them than to upset them or tease<br>> > them. In turn they helped their friends and their company. They become<br>> > better thought of, the company's profit increases, and everyone is a
<br>> > winner. Not hard, just hard to keep your composure sometimes.<br>> ><br>> So, what do you do when you have a student that will not read the<br>> book, will not do the homework assignments, and argues that he know
<br>> better then the teacher? That when you try to correct his mistakes,<br>> he calls you names?<br>><br>> I have seen many people helped on the list that didn't understand.<br>> The difference is that when they do not understand something, they
<br>> tell you what they don't understand, and get it explained to them in<br>> simpler terms, and/or get pointers to where they can find the<br>> information to help them understand.<br>><br>> There are times when step by step instructions are the way to handle
<br>> things, but more often, it is better to help them find the<br>> information they need, or accompany the instructions with<br>> explanations of what the instructions do. Help them learn - don't do<br>> the work for them!
<br>><br>> I have to question weather Fedora is the right distribution for<br>> someone that needs step by step instructions, instead of being able<br>> to read the instructions on a web page when it is pointed out to
<br>> them. I know it is not the distribution I would recommend to someone<br>> for their first Linux distribution. It is not for someone that can<br>> not do their own research, or understand the technical language. You
<br>> should also have at least some problem solving skill. If you need<br>> someone to take you by the hand, and walk you through things, you<br>> are in the wrong place. Using Fedora requires effort on the part of
<br>> the user to understand things.<br>><br>> Mikkel<br></div></div>These are your feelings. I cannot tell you not to feel that way. I<br>cannot change Karl, either, but to harangue Karl because of your<br>feelings is illogical and counter productive. If you choose to answer
<br>him, do so as completely as you can and then stop. Others can and will<br>pick up the ball after that. I just don't see it as a problem that<br>tirade after tirade helps you, him and especially the list. Just my
<br>opinion.<br><br></blockquote><div><br>I second the idea that he just be ignored if he is a problem. Anybody heard the one about the Pope and Bill Clinton?<br><br>-Max<br></div></div><br>