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Re: mplayer debs, was: Re: AVI player recommendations
Okay fair enough. Obviously we differ in our ethical views and that is
perfectly fine. Lets leave those behind us. Since this is not a forum for
politics. All I would like to say in defense of noobs is that if we knew how
to ask the questions we might not even have to ask them. In the end it boils
down to being polite.
RTFM is not an answer it is a slander and one that the noob may not even know
is being said. It is not helpful, it not polite, it not required, and it
solves nothing. RTM or a nice point in the right way is as easy as typing the
letters out. Or better yet just let someone else answer if you are not.
Remember how hard it can be for the noobs just starting out especially those
who really do not know what they are getting into. The noob and the annoying
questions are here to stay and you have the option to help or move on. Just
please no more RTFM though please.
I think that it is great that mplayer provides a manual. That or a readme
should be a standard in ANY OS. You are completely right that they would be
even more bitter if they didn't put it there.
Sarah
On Thursday 10 January 2002 20:16, Michael Montz wrote:
> I think I'll delve into this once more and be done with it.
>
> On Thu, 2002-01-10 at 17:31, Sarah Hay wrote:
> > Well I have read the details of installing mplayer and I don't have a
> > problem with it. In the end I will do it however it works, if that makes
> > any sense.
>
> Call me anal, but I am usually not satified with just having it work.
> Linux gives me the ability to have it work well.
>
>
> The attitude at mplayerhq.com is arrogant and arrogance always has to
>
> > do with ethics. You may be able to get past this arrogance but I cannot.
> > They are arrogant to the extent of being offensive. They insult
> > manufactures, they insult users, and they,in many of their forums, insult
> > newbies and regular users alike. This akin to going on one of the BBS's
> > and seeing newbies answered with curt answers or suggesting that they try
> > and translate the sometimes cryptic man pages? Or what about the
> > suggestions do this or that or this without even asking the new user if
> > they know what they are talking about?
>
> I'm not real sure what arrogance has to do with ethics. In some ways I
> see myself as arrogant, yet I do my best to live by my own and societal
> ethical standards.
>
> As said before, I agree with you concerning the attitude of the mplayer
> developers. Though in their defense, if every person followed the
> suggestions in "How to ask Questions the Smart Way" by Eric S. Raymond
> referenced in another post here by Logan Brown, I think we would see
> less of the frustration shown by some in the various forums.
>
> If they don't want someone copying and distributing their brainchild
>
> > then they should not be open source and as far as I can decern
> > distributing in the legal sense includes the accepting of cash and having
> > a deb, RPM, or other such binary for free consumption is not breaking the
> > licenses of open source. As well why forbid binaries to be distributed
> > and yet tell everyone how to do it as the do in TFM?
>
> Strickly speaking it is a little more complicated than that. You have
> to keep in mind that open source does not mean free or public domain.
> The GPL is not something that I've curled up in front of the fire and
> read,so my knowledge of its details is limited, but in this case what I
> understand is that you can distribute the source all you want. The
> problem arises when distributing a binary. If you want to know why this
> is then read the GPL at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
>
> As to why they tell you how to compile in TFM. At the risk of sounding
> sarcastic, you've already blasted them for their abuse of newbies. Just
> think what would happen if they got a thousand questions about how to
> compile.
>
> > As Jason commented don't use acronyms I have been using Linux and help
> > forums for awhile but I really hate when people use them because I am not
> > into the speak. I do use them whenI am fairly sure that the person on the
> > other end knows what the hell I mean. RTFM. I can read the manual
> > just fine thanks, but if it leads to the app not working and the install
> > appeared to go find then I go TFBBS or the FMLs and ask what I may be
> > doing wrong from people that I expect have tried or are running the app!
>
> Jason did not say don't use acronyms. He requested that I not use
> "RTFM" because he found it offensive. I'm sorry you dislike there use,
> but I'm afraid that's just the way it is in this industry.
>
> > In the end I came here to get help not be lectured about how my views
> > differ from yours.
>
> I meant no offense by suggesting you read the manual. I had just done
> the install last night and found the manual most instructive. When I
> read your post I thought that you may not have know that the developers
> has finally put one together.
>
> Plus your comment about ethics sort of rubbed me the wrong way.
>
> If you view my comments and opinions as a lecture so be it. They are
> after all only my opinions.
>
> Regards,
> Michael
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