Just a few things to add to this conversation:
1. Email is a highly imperfect medium of communication. It is nearly
impossible to convey tone and nuance and it is very easy for people to
take something in a way you never intended. Everyone is different and
what some people find perfectly reasonable, others find completely
offensive. I generally try to err on the side of caution and attempt
to be as civil as possible.
2. Different people are here for different things. For me, it's
mostly a matter of gathering information. I use *nix (Unix, Linux, Mac
OS X) every day for both business and pleasure and I enjoy reading
about new developments, opinions about open source philosophy, news
and local events as well as information about how everyone else is
using Linux and Unix. I read what interests me, I ignore what doesn't
and I get on with my life. When I can, I try to help.
3. In the four (five?) years I've been in this list, there have been
plenty of heated discussions, but I can't quite shake the feeling that
something has changed in terms of the general "vibe" of the list.
It's not something I can quantify, it's highly subjective but
obviously I'm not the only one who feels that way and personally, the
loss of members like Jeremy, Kevin and Darrin devalues this list
significantly for me. These are nice, smart, motivated people who
have given a lot to this community and it concerns me greatly that
people like this are leaving this list. Especially when I get the
impression they are leaving because they are tired of watching the
bickering. Is it really that hard to be nice to each other? I'm not
saying we can't disagree or voice dissenting opinions. But could we
do it in a way that elevates the discussion rather than debases it?
4. Despite the latest polls on Slashdot, or the latest Netcraft
report, Linux and Unix enthusiasts are a very small (albeit vocal)
community. We may not always agree, but I'd like to think we can
always get along with one another and give everyone the mutual respect
they deserve. No matter how much you may disagree with someone, you
obviously share a common interest or you wouldn't both be here.
That's all I've got at the moment. Thank you to each and everyo one
of you who post. I have learned a tremendous amount from all of you
over the years and with luck I'll continue doing so for a very long
time.
Micah
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