I would like to open a discussion into why this list keeps degenerating into
name-calling and flame-fests. I am hoping that by thinking about what is
going on, we can help reduce the problem. Even if no one else is helped by
it perhaps by understanding this problem myself I can do my little bit to
cool it.
This morning the question was asked if the extreme in-your-face flaming was
the future of this list. (To paraphrase). I sure hope not. But since this
seems to have become a several-times-a-week event, I think it is long past
time to look into the issue.
I am clearly not immune to being overly touchy myself. Several weeks ago I
went totally ballistic over remarks about misspelled words and bad grammar
in posts. Since then I have been keeping a low profile out of abject shame
at my own over-the-top response. So I will be the first to admit I share
part of the blame for the recent tone of this discussion group.
Some thoughts on possible causes:
1. The Information Explosion.
If I include all the lists and newsgroups I try to keep up with, I estimate
I give at least a cursory read to about 400 emails a day. I get at least
30-40 phone calls or voice mails every day. Every time I turn on the radio
or listen to the news, someone seems to be trying to shove their opinion
down my throat - whether it is through a peaceful protest or a violent
suicide bombing.
It used to be that if I did not like someone or their opinions, I could just
cross to the other side of the street or move to the other end of the bar.
It used to be I only had to deal with potentially offensive people or
opinions a few times a day. Now there are hundreds of opportunities each day
for me to be offended. Could it just be that with hundreds of times more
opportunities to be offended each day than what I grew up with, my
resistance breaks down? Are other people finding this true?
2. HP3000 Future Shock.
I pride myself as an IT professional that change is part of my lifestyle. I
always viewed myself as someone who embraced change as an opportunity. I
must admit though, I chose our beloved MPE and the HP3000 in part because of
its legendary stability and consistent upgrade paths.
It is quite possible I have slowed my move into C, Unix, NT Server, etc.
because I was sick and tired of learning another language/OS du-jour. Not to
say I did not keep learning new things. I have branched out into things I
find to be "fun" such as computer graphics, animation and web design. But I
must admit I tried to keep the pace of change to a level my mind could
comfortably absorb.
Now all of us in the HP3000/MPE realm have had change shoved in our faces. I
have written in this list before about embracing this change as an
opportunity. I am busy learning all I need to know about Unix, Oracle, NT
Server, etc. to be able to migrate to applications on these platforms. When
I talk to management and clients you can sure bet there is a big smile
pasted on my face about what an opportunity this is.
But when I am being honest, when I am not trying to sell the future to
management and clients, then I know this transition is causing a lot of
stress. I'm reading manuals late into the night. Getting up early to review
all the migration news and opinions. Sitting through web-casts. Upgrading to
7.0 PP1 before then EOS of 6.0. All the while doing my normal HP3000
sys-admin and applications work.
Stress? You bet your sweet bippy! Some days if Winston or Carly suddenly
appeared at my office door, even as an extreme pacifist I would still be
visualizing putting my fist into their noses. Of course in actuality I would
still smile and shake their hands while visualizing them laid out flat on
their backs.
Maybe some of the stress is leaking out just a tiny little bit? Anybody else
feel a little overwhelmed by the changes caused by HP3000 EOL? Angry? Let's
see a show of hands.
3. Future Shock in General.
I have been shopping for a new car. When I owned a Dodge Dart, I was able to
tear down and rebuild the entire engine myself. And hey - I'm supposed t be
a computer professional so I should be comfortable with computer controls.
One would think computer controlled, electronic ignition, electronic fuel
injection would be a snap.
I could not even find the spark plug wires on the bloody engine! All I could
do was stand there with my hands in my pockets murmuring "Yeh, uh-hu, looks
like a great engine".
Any of the rest of you feel lost and touchy in this world of ours? Any
chance it's adding to our touchy responses on this list?
*****************************
Th-th-that's all folks. The end of an overly-long post. At least for the
moment. Maybe getting all that off my chest will help me get through today.
Got a flaky power supply on an HP3000. Phone ringing off the hook. 23 tasks
on my to-do list. A normal day in computer hell. That peach farm in the
Okanogan is sure beginning to look mighty good.
Timothy Atwood
Holtenwood Computing
http://www.holtenwood.bc.ca/computing/
totally for myself though the email server used is under the kind and
benevolent auspices of Domtar Vancouver Mill
(Opinions expressed are mine and do not reflect Domtar, yada-yada-yada. No
people real or imagined... No animals were harmed in the typing of this
email.)
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