Cross-Talk

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.broadbandnet.hardware (More info?)

Well said, Dan ... thoughtful, well-written, and (I hope) the view of
the vast majority of people who scan this particular newsgroup for help
and advice.
--
Regards, Fred

Dan wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've been monitoring this newsgroup for a little while
> now, and overall, the information that is presented here I
> find to be very helpful and interesting.
>
> For the most part...there is one exception. While
> this "is" a microsoft newsgroup, meant to deal with issues
> of microsoft broadband hardware, I see many posts from
> folks who use other brands of hardware. Personally, I find
> other folks discussing similar problems with other
> manufacturer hardware interesting.
>
> Each has their own particular capabilities, configurations
> and nuances, and some are general and applicable across
> platforms, regardless of vendor. Some aren't. While we may
> not be able to address specific issues or solve specific
> problems for the non-microsoft h/w owners, I still find
> their posts insightful with regard to the bigger picture -
> networking.
>
> There is something else that I find insightful however,
> but not in an interesting way - the exception mentioned
> above. The "little boy who wants to be king" attitude in
> some of the responses to our non-microsoft bretheren
> leaves a particularly sour taste. How many of the non-MS
> folk have steered away from this newsgroup thinking that
> we're just a bunch of haughty, egotistical <insert bad
> word here> based on a snide response like the following,
> and I quote,
>
> "Well lets look at the name of the newsgroup. It starts
> with "microsoft" so that must mean we only talk about
> microsoft products. Next it says "public" so that means
> any person can post here. Then it says "broadbandnet" so
> since this is a Microsoft newsgroup it must be talking
> about the Microsoft Broadband Networking. Last but not
> least it says "hardware" So that must mean it is the
> Microsoft hardware for networking that we talk about.
>
> Thus this is not a general networking newsgroup, but one
> for the Microsoft Broadband networking hardware. I'd
> suggest either posting in a newsgroup for the hardware you
> are running, a general networking newsgroup, or one for
> whatever version of Windows you are running."
>
> While the author of the above occasionally has some
> insight into MS networking, I find their overall immature,
> self-inflated ego more of a repellant than the information
> they have to offer a value.
>
> I'm not suggesting that they stop responding to posts or
> providing assistance if they have information which can
> help a user. What I do suggest is that a negative reply,
> meaning no reply, speaks just as clearly that a post is
> irrelevant in this forum, or that no one here has a useful
> suggestion, as the above quote - and a negative reply
> won't leave anyone with ill feelings.
>
> Hopefully this will be received in the manner it was
> intended. Thanks for your time and patience,
>
> Dan

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.broadbandnet.hardware (More info?)

I do appreciate your feedback and point of view Pete.
Maybe I missed my mark a bit. I was basically trying to
get across two things: courtesy and professionalism.

There are numerous examples of these throughout this
newsgroup - a good recent example would be Chris H.'s
response to the "Bandwidth" post from "anon". Barb Bowman
also replies to misdirected posts with
suggestions/directions to a better-suited forum.

While I am not an MVP, MSCE, nor a hardware engineer, I
have worked in large, IT-based customer service
environments supporting users as a liaison between the
programmers and the users, and in addition to being
somewhat saavy with the applications that I was
responsible for, I also had to develop the skill of
tactful redirection. Whether its telling a full-bird
Colonel or the lowly soldier that they're in the wrong
office, there are more respectful, courteous and
professional ways of saying "you're barking up the wrong
tree", "that dog ain't gonna hunt", or "Well lets look at
the name of the newsgroup".

The end user, whether its the Col. or the soldier, or in
our case, the errant post, appreciates the professional
courtesy, as I'm sure we all do.

That, in a nutshell, is all I was driving at.
Thanks again,
Dan


>-----Original Message-----
>
>"Dan" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
>news:08d901c4b995$73966bc0$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>> There is something else that I find insightful however,
>> but not in an interesting way - the exception mentioned
>> above. The "little boy who wants to be king" attitude in
>> some of the responses to our non-microsoft bretheren
>> leaves a particularly sour taste. How many of the non-MS
>> folk have steered away from this newsgroup thinking that
>> we're just a bunch of haughty, egotistical <insert bad
>> word here> based on a snide response like the following,
>> and I quote,
>
>While your argument may seem compelling to you, you need
to understand that
>there is a reason why usenet works this way. The main
reason why most users
>resist off-topic posts is that they tend to decrease the
signal/noise ratio
>of the newsgroup. What may be interesting and compelling
for you, is noise
>to the person who needs information on a particular
topic. What ends up
>happening is that the informative posts on a particular
topic are drowned
>out by all of the off-topic posts and users who come
looking for information
>on a particular topic either don't find what they need or
have to search
>much longer than they should have to.
>
>Every so often a user such as yourself comes along with a
way that usenet
>could better serve them or some other minority group. It
seems reasonable
>enough because after all, usenet belongs to all of us and
if I want to
>participate, I should be able to right? Well, yes and
no. Most groups have
>over the years "enforced" the rules of no off-topic posts
by giving "gentle"
>reminders to the off-topic posters and asking them to
post elsewhere.
>
>While you're right, some posters do seem to get an extra
thrill out of
>telling people "where to go", many are just trying to be
helpful. Usenet is
>not the forum for those with fragile egos. Many of
the "good" responses are
>written by professionals with little time to take into
consideration the way
>an abrupt post may be percieved by other posters. Get
over it and move on
>is usually the best advice I can give to a "newbie".
>
>Lastly, if you look at the rules of conduct for using the
MS server:
>
>"Relevance to Topics: Please make sure that your postings
in discussion
>groups and chats are relevant to the subject at hand. It
is normal for some
>topics to drift from the stated subject. However, to
ensure maximum benefit
>for everyone, we encourage you to keep your postings as
close to the subject
>as possible."
>
>-Pete
>
>
>
>.
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.broadbandnet.hardware (More info?)

Unfortunately, responding to your comment in almost any
way almost validates your point.

Doubtful that I really stirred up any waters here, and not
that I was trying. Just had to say my piece. Consider it
said.

Dan.
Kc7 3 Bd8++

>-----Original Message-----
>Dan wrote:
>
>> I do appreciate your feedback and point of view Pete.
>> Maybe I missed my mark a bit. I was basically trying to
>> get across two things: courtesy and professionalism.
>>
>You sure hate critcism.
>.
>