Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on September 04, 2006 10:32 PM
[I am reposting this in the main thread, because the posts I want to respond to keep getting added to the main thread.]
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.
I think it is important to remind people of how Microsoft (and some others) operate, as I did in my original post. I think that being aware of the fact that someone may be purposely disrupting things makes it easier to ignore those disruptions, and focus on the positive progress, rather than becoming depressed about things (as the infiltrators intended). However, making specific allegations about a given event or person just causes problems (I speak from experience), and I advise against it.
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Specific Accusations are a Bad Idea
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on September 04, 2006 10:32 PMI 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.
I think it is important to remind people of how Microsoft (and some others) operate, as I did in my original post. I think that being aware of the fact that someone may be purposely disrupting things makes it easier to ignore those disruptions, and focus on the positive progress, rather than becoming depressed about things (as the infiltrators intended). However, making specific allegations about a given event or person just causes problems (I speak from experience), and I advise against it.
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