Thanks Jarhead

[TromboneAl]

I have much less tolerance for computer illiterate callers.  When the user's saying "I don't know how to copy a file, can you walk me through it?"  in my head I'm screaming "You stupid nincompoop, you can't even spend an hour or two to learn how to use your computer, only 3 more months and then I never have to talk to someone like you again!"

Quote

Hey Beaver Guy:  You're not in San Francisco anymore.   

As a matter of fact, you're in the Red-Neck, and Marijuana Capitol of the Country.

Just keep your fantasy to yourself, because if you tried that "Weak ****" to the folks that live in my area, you'd be so busy adjusting your attitude, you'd have little time for anything else.

Just got back from fly-fishing on a beautiful day, and what a pleasure it is to run-head long into a post from a self-rightous "Nerd".

With your attitude, the best you can hope for is that the "locals" will tolerate you.

Love, Jarhead

To get this straight, because I thought, and didn't even say out loud, that a windows user should spend some time to learn basic tasks such as copying a file, you decided to personally attack me, telling me I'm a "self-rightous (sic) Nerd who would be unable to make friends anywhere but San Francisco."

All I can figure is that you're sensitive about your own computer skills, and still sore about someone who made you look stupid in algebra class.

But in any case it only takes a few posters like you to ruin a good forum.  Here's why:

With responses like yours around, people are less likely to post goofy, over-the-top or exaggerated messages (like the one I posted).  They're less likely to talk about something personal,  less likely to ask for help, and less likely to even post at all.

 

[azanon]

Not to change the subject, but why are you posting as guest TromboneAL? Re: Jarhead, he's mean to me too, so * shrug *, i wouldn't take it personally.

 

[Martha]

Al, please don't leave.  You are entertaining.  You are helpful.  I just plain like you. 

 

[Cool Dood]

Yeah, I think he's made a few pointless snide remarks about me, too... :

 

[youbet]

TromboneAl,

This would be an appropriate time for you to lead by example and show "more tolerance."

 

[BigMoneyJim]

Nobody can post as guest. T-Al has apparently deleted his account which leaves his existing posts as if they were posted by a guest. (I thought we had it so people couldn't do that anymore.)

I hate to see that happen. There are lots of people on this board; lots of independent people with strong opinions. Everyone get's P'O'ed at someone sooner or later. Over-refereeing things wouldn't help...even if it did we moderators would be deleting our own accounts and stomping off in frustration, too.

 

[Martha]

It is easy to forget that the other posters are in fact real people having real reactions to what is posted.  We are not having discussions with 14 year old girls in Missoula.  

 

[Cool Dood]

Those were FBI agents.

 

[maddythebeagle]

With responses like yours around, people are less likely to post goofy, over-the-top or exaggerated messages (like the one I posted). They're less likely to talk about something personal, less likely to ask for help, and less likely to even post at all.

Probably, I think it would be huge loss if T-Al left. He has added a lot of good info. I guess it begs the question if there is some retired pricks that need a message board to take out their frustrations, why not go back to work with the other asshats?

 

[bow-tie]

...why not go back to work with the other asshats?

Asshats... that is AWESOME. I'm totally going to steal that and use it.



And don't go anywhere Al.  Be strong.  Damn the man! Yous good people.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Hmm. Looks like an overreaction by t-al to his customer, and an overreaction by jarhead to al's over reaction. I've seen a lot worse and nobody felt like they had to leave. It also sucks to see people pile on jarhead. He's as atypically mean on rare occasions as any other retired marine I've known.

Its too bad Al reacted the way he did, and it'd be nice if he didnt leave. It'd be swell if we were all nice to each other all the time. And to our soon to be ex-customers.

 

[Maximillion]

If you are mad at someone, why not just PM the individual and tell him/her , you don't appreciate their comments??

Why drag it out into the open, and why leave because someone wrote something you did not like

 

[shiny]

When I first read T-Als post I thought "do I know how to copy a file?" But then I realized (or interpreted it as such) that he was describing how antsy you get when you only have 3 month left and you are having to deal with the same mundane questions from people who should have taken a few minutes to figure something out on their own before calling for help. Anyway, I hope he comes back!

 

[Martha]

  It'd be swell if we were all nice to each other all the time.  And to our soon to be ex-customers.

To be fair, Al is nice to the customer, if you read the thread. He was just illustrating what was going on in his head as he winds up his work.

 

[wabmester]

All I can figure is that you're sensitive about your own computer skills, and still sore about someone who made you look stupid in algebra class.

Al, I think you got the sensitive part right, but Jarhead is no dummy.    He's a smart guy, and he's your elder.   And he's my elder.   Hell, he's just about everybody's elder. 

Here's the thing about elders: when PC's went mainstream about 20 years ago, these elders had about 50 years of experience doing things without PCs.

You've got great PC chops.   It's almost second nature to you, right?    How do you think you'll feel when somebody hands you your first nanotech quantum-computing device in about 10 years?    Will you happily forget everything you've learned and rewire yourself?

 

[HFWR]

Comeback, T-Al...

 

[azanon]

How do you think you'll feel when somebody hands you your first nanotech quantum-computing device in about 10 years? Will you happily forget everything you've learned and rewire yourself?

The expectations where I work are "keep up" or move out of the way. The sort of new things to us are GIS (well its a few years old now), GPS units (fancy trimble units), there's always some new software. Anyway, they dont care how old you are here; you either learn the new stuff or you'll quickly become outdated and inferior to the other folks who do know how.

 

[haha]

I also hope Al will stay.

But much of this thread is a colossal overreaction to a gentle poke from someone who probably sometimes wonders if some posters (not Al) have ever poked their heads out of the cubicle and looked around.

The most amazing crap gets put out here, daily, with no objections from anyone. It can become a bit frustrating (at least it sometimes does to me).

I could paraphrase the informal posting rule as this: Stay on the right side of PC in all its manifestations, and you will be OK.

Both these posters have real personalities which is why this board gets multiples of the traffic of the other retirement boards. The so called retirement facts, which are really only untried opinions are straightforward enough to be picked in a few weeks. The reason people don’t just take off after they got the facts is that is often interesting to stay around- because of personalities who in some cases possibly show aspects of themselves than they don’t even show to hubby or wife, and certainly not to the next door neighbor.

And please lay off the "Well Jarhead is older". Older bullshit! Mainly what he is is wise enough to feel that someone who sold presumably for a good hunk of change a company that requires a few months of ongoing support a few minutes a day, maybe twice a day should look into Xanax if it becomes too bothersome. To me, it seems a small infraction to comment thusly.

And, I don't know how long Al has been up there- but part of what Jarhead may have been doing is trying to send a mild heads-up for him to tread lightly, 'cause rural people are not always sweet to their betters.

Ha

 

[Dawg52]

Well all I can say it's a shame that this happened. I have enjoyed reading posts by both of them. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail.

 

[wabmester]

The expectations where I work are "keep up" or move out of the way.

I fully expect to ignore quantum computing, and I hope it'll go away. I don't need the uncertainty.

 

[azanon]

I fully expect to ignore quantum computing, and I hope it'll go away. I don't need the uncertainty.

Yeah, i think Mr. Heisenberg dealt with that.

 

[Nords]

Sorry to see you go, Al. I don't think Jarhead's barbs merited your response. You guys need to straighten each other out, but I don't think it's worth committing delete-icide.

With responses like yours around, people are less likely to post goofy, over-the-top or exaggerated messages (like the one I posted).

*Sigh* OK, Wab, TH, REW, let's pick up our shares of the load.

I fully expect to ignore quantum computing, and I hope it'll go away.    I don't need the uncertainty.   

Well, the only way you can have an effect on its results is to attempt to observe it.

Learn how to use a quantum computer or Schrodinger's cat will die!

 

[BigMoneyJim]

I fully expect to ignore quantum computing, and I hope it'll go away. I don't need the uncertainty.

You say that now, but once you observe...

_________________________________________________

I'd say this whole thing is blown out of proportion on all sides now. As a tech support guy who this week has had to assist traveling trainers who can't turn a laptop on or navigate PowerPoint and a visiting engineer who had trouble adapting to a borrowed PC T-Al's comments resonated with me strongly. I also see how those who aren't PC gurus might have taken it offensively even though I think they missed the context entirely. (Which was tiring of work, greuling through the last days/months/years to ER.) Actually I'm not sure Jarhead's comment was straight in the first place.

In any event, board history has shown the proper conclusion for this mess would be for one of the participants to simply say "Blow Me!" to the opposing side and all would be well.

_________________________________________________

Crud, my quantum comment is getting cross-posted with two other quantum comments. Drat!

 

[Nords]

Crud, my quantum comment is getting cross-posted with two other quantum comments. Drat!

That's what you get for attempting to quantify both position and velocity...

 

[Caroline]

You know, someone a while back intimated that I was lying about a point I'd made. I decided to ignore him.

GOD, was that HARD to do!!!!

It involved at least a dozen laps around the house, a break for coffee, several typed-but-not-sent responses, and a stern lecture-to-self on the value of my time and energy relative to the poster's comment, followed by a self-administered shake to the scruff of the neck.

Wish I could remember who the heck that guy was... but the tiny blip he left on my radar screen died from inattention and is long gone...

To each his own, but duking it out on this board is not what I, personally, have planned for my ER.

Love and kisses to every one of you!
Caroline