Re: [Evolution] Problem with reply and other stuff (OT)

[Eric Lambart <ximian nomeaning net>]

On Wed, 2003-02-12 at 01:41, Tony Earnshaw wrote:
> ons, 2003-02-12 kl. 09:55 skrev Bill Hartwell:
>
> > > Please stop Ccing me. I do not wish to be a part of this discussion any
> > > longer. I have unsubscribed from the list for this very reason.
>
> > Gee, isn't it nice to know that one of the developers cares so much
> > about the program's users that he stomps off in a huff because we dare
> > to disagree with him?
>
> He always did that. This time his boss hung him out and that was neither
> conducive to sympathy for the boss, nor for Ximian. That's how Jeff felt
> too. You may say what you like, but the fellow works his arse off trying
> to please people - can't be a great job. As someone else said, the best
> thing Ettore could have done, would have been to take him aside for a
> pep talk on how to cope with difficult people.

Egads, I really don't think Ettore was very hard on him!  Did I miss a
message from him on this thread?  He just explained that Jeff's opinion
was not the be-all, end-all when it came to development decisions, and
politely offered a compromise solution to the users who had gotten
aggravated and emotional about this whole thing.  I doubt Jeff left
because of that.  I presume he left because he got tired of the
ridiculous, childish debate that he had been participating in.

In any case, Jeff has been offending people on this list, in Ximian's
name, for as long as I can remember, and several users have stomped off
in a huff and said they were going to stop using Evolution because of
things he has said.  You've been around for while Tony, I know you've
seen this too.

Users can be as rude as they like, they are only making themselves look
bad.  Users can stomp off in and say "I don't want to play with you" and
they won't be missed much (though if they leave because they were
insulted by someone at Ximian, that's bad for everyone who wants Ximian
to prosper).

The Ximian management HAS taken Jeff aside and talked to him privately
in the past, at least once, I believe, at my prompting, after another,
milder flamewar (at which time I was told the way he expresses himself
on the list had already been something they'd discussed with him
before).

I really don't feel right talking about this publicly, since if Jeff is
really off the list, it feels like talking about someone behind his
back.  But seriously, folks, Ettore has always been polite, helpful and
diplomatic.  Jeff probably writes great code, is often helpful and
polite if it's a topic he isn't excited about, but diplomatic?  Rarely.

Like it or not, Jeff is one of the major developers of Evolution, and it
wouldn't be what it is if he hadn't been a part of it.  I love
Evolution, and I'm glad that Jeff has helped create it.  I've also been
told that he's a really nice guy in real life.  I hope he continues to
contribute his skills to it, but learns to keep his strong personal
opinions off of public forums like this.

Nobody but the flamers themselves like flamewars.

Meanwhile, life goes on...
Eric

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