Re: [gentoo-dev] Proposing fundamental changes to DevRel

[Patrick Lauer <patrick@gentoo.org>]

On 06/17/10 22:09, Sebastian Pipping wrote:
> Patrick,
> 
> 
> On 06/17/10 18:21, Patrick Lauer wrote:
>> Now of course this will cause friction. I've noticed it especially with
>> germanic and slavic languages that are more terse than english.
>> For example "Sit down!" is acceptable in all situations in german,
> 
> maybe acceptable, sure not polite or friendly.

"Hey, komm, setz dich."

"Ey, du Arsch, setz dich, sonst schmeiss ich dich raus!"

exactly the same words, just defined by the context - and if you leave
that away it's only intonation.
The english or french equivalent ends up as different sentences ...

>> You can extrapolate the friction this can and will cause. So unless
>> someone actively personally insults me I'll just assume it got lost in
>> translation.
> 
> I understand "extrapolating friction" as having the receiver fixing
> potential miscommunication.  Is that what you meant?
I meant to say "you can easily guess how much trouble that causes"
And here we see how difficult languages can be as you managed to get
something quite different out of it ...

[snip]

>> So let's not get too hung up on single words, stop
>> floodmailing and resume fixing bugs, mmmhkay?
> 
> Are you asking me to shut up?
> In case floodmailing refers to me: I'm not done yet.

You're one of the more persistent persons on the mailing lists.
I don't see the point of arguing the same thing for days with no end in
sight ... for me, personally, there are better ways to use my time. For
example reading the quizzes my recruits are working on and pointing out
the problems they still have. Or bugwrangling a bit just for fun.

> We have more or less ignored non-technical issues for quite some time
> concentrating on technical issues as that's easier.  The thing is:
> Technical things work much better in Gentoo than non-technical things.
> 
> Let me repeat: Technical is not our main problem.

Ok then. What's the possible solutions? Which options do we have, what
are their advantages and disadvantages? Why didn't we apply that
solution before?

Just complaining that things suck and life isn't fair won't help.
Finding a goal and working towards it until you are done will.

Have fun,

Patrick