Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on September 04, 2006 10:18 PM
I wrote the "Microsoft Rabble-Rousers" post, and I am glad you liked it.
However, as I pointed out in that post, it is not a good idea to go around accusing people.
It is too easy to hit the wrong target.
It is too easy to mistake other things (errors, stubborness, ego, inexperience, and so on) as intentional badness.
Plus, the accusations just contribute to the negative atmosphere that the infiltrators want to create.
In my opinion, the proper (indeed, the only workable) approach is as follows:
1. Be aware that the infiltrators may be there.
2. Consider that possibility when confronted with an outrageously bad idea, especially when the same person always seems to be the source of the bad ideas.
But then...
3. Respond with positive action. Propose better ideas, and explain why they are better. Be polite and reasonable. Contribute to making the forum a nice place to visit. If you do that, then eventually, the true troublemakers will become obvious to everyone, by contrast, and they will become ineffective.
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Specific accusations are a bad idea
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on September 04, 2006 10:18 PMHowever, as I pointed out in that post, it is not a good idea to go around accusing people.
It is too easy to hit the wrong target.
It is too easy to mistake other things (errors, stubborness, ego, inexperience, and so on) as intentional badness.
Plus, the accusations just contribute to the negative atmosphere that the infiltrators want to create.
In my opinion, the proper (indeed, the only workable) approach is as follows:
1. Be aware that the infiltrators may be there.
2. Consider that possibility when confronted with an outrageously bad idea, especially when the same person always seems to be the source of the bad ideas.
But then...
3. Respond with positive action. Propose better ideas, and explain why they are better. Be polite and reasonable. Contribute to making the forum a nice place to visit. If you do that, then eventually, the true troublemakers will become obvious to everyone, by contrast, and they will become ineffective.
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