Rich’s Rambling
By Rich Schinnell
Ok, Here we go, yet again. BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP!!!
That is the last time this column that I will mention this. Remember!, if you will be heartbroken or disappointed if you lose forever some data, pictures, email or letters then please backup them to either floppies or a CD-ROM. (No excuses)
Now on to other enlightening projects and a little bit of ranting:). I have been visiting several techi bulletin board type of web pages and have come to the conclusion that some are just public places for a few people to expound on some pet subject that they have a hangup regarding. Like “I hate Microsoft”, “I hate AOL” or the latest “Why pay for software when it all should be free”. I am getting sick and tired of people expecting to get something for nothing. My parents taught me a long time ago that there was no such thing as free. And it is still true today. Some “Free” stuff comes with strings attached, like spyware or some kind of trojan that keeps track of your web browsing or whatever. So it is not free. There is a price to pay for almost all “Free” software.
Put your own words in this statement: “ I hate XXXXX, because it is so XXXXX” you can put AOL, Linux, Microsoft or any other company or product in there.
Negative statements are usually counter productive. If you don’t like some product, best to not comment unless someone asks for your opinion or you have a good logical and fair conclusion as to why you don’t like it. People listen to objective comments about most any product. I have seen messages that just go off on a tangent and start lambasting some company or their product and all it shows to me is that they are probably what I call a “complainer”. (Or that other word that starts with B)
If someone writes a good logical message explaining why a product does not do what it is advertised without all the rhetoric and lambasting is much more believable than short “I hate XXXX” messages..
I see that some people writing long rambling messages explaining why they do not like a software product, only because it requires more horsepower than they have. Or better yet, why when they bought a high end graphics program, it did not do things like the graphics artists. IE.. Made them an instant graphics artist. Or better yet, buying a word processor and it making them into an professional writer. :)
I spent over 20 years in the USN, we had an expression, “Don’t complain to the Mess Cooks”. The “Mess Cooks” were the people who kept the tables cleaned up in the Mess Hall, dining hall, galley and Mess Decks. Whatever they were called in your service. They are usually conscripted labor and the newest people on the ship or station. (Or were before this part was contracted out). I served my time doing that when I first went into the USN. Complaining to them is like complaining to the Janitor at your kids school about some classroom instruction. They listen and commiserate but nothing gets done. The same thing about people who continually whine about some vendor. If they have a legitimate complaint then putting it down on paper to the CEO of the company is a good place to end up after exhausting all the normal lines of communications. . Berating them on some WEB bulletin board is only making you feel good that you have struck back at them. Not much accomplished. I have actually talked to people who tried to convince me that I should be using some specific operating system only because it was free and open. Instead of telling me what advantages it had for getting my work done. Or better yet, come help me install it so that I can test the applications that I use on this wonderful product.
Many people do have legitimate complaints. Deal with the subject objectively and not emotionally. Writing messages on a BBS that “AOL is for dummies” is not productive, it just shows your bias. There are many millions of people that believe that AOL is the best things since sliced bread. You don’t have to be a Techi to use it. It works, albeit, you do have to put up with a lot of banner and pop up ads. It will allow the average person to send and receive email with a minimum of fuss or technical knowledge. Also, you can access AOL from most anywhere in the world. I have a friend who is a Lawyer who travels extensively around the world and he is very pleased with AOL. He is able to retrieve his email regardless of where he is and without being a Techi. More time to do what he is paid well for, being a lawyer. Also, it is available via almost any web browser in the world.
Geez, sounds like I am on a tear :) I have gotten some great ideas from joining some of these BBS type of web pages. Some that come to mind are:
For general help and information forums.
HTTP://FORUMS.SCOTSNEWSLETTER.COM/
For Handheld PDA’s and Such.
Give them a shot, you have nothing to lose and there are of course varied opinions on most any subject available. All of these have moderators who police them and if someone gets out of line, they remove the messages so they are mostly just informative. And you can get help there.
Rich Schinnell has written his Ramblings column for too many years and you might think that he is jaded, probably true and he hopes that his writings are enlightening, sometimes humourous and most of all, get you to think. He can be reached via E-Mail at schinnel@cpcug.org or phone at (301) 949-9292