Something to offer...

[Calum]

Well, i was posting in this forum here about digital video software in Linux. I am new to linux, and one of the things i used to do with windows was manipulation and conversion of video files.
I thought i would go to the forums of my favourite video editing site, and post in the "Suggestions and Help" forum, asking if there was any consensus on what programs would be good to use for the same purpose in Linux.
What i got was not helpful answers, but a barrage of abuse telling me not to ask unless i had something to offer, or not to dare to offer an opinion unless i had some experience under my belt.

To come to the point, what do people think about this? should we all watch what we say unless we are experienced? or should people be allowed to say what they like?

On these forums (the M$EradSoc ones), the most informative posts tend to come from the most experienced posters (you know who you are     ) and often the uninformed "you guys are a bunch of dills" posts are very tedious.
On the other hand, a newbie post illuminates the kind of problems that tons of people might be having but may just have been too shy to ask about, also, uninhibited new posters posting their opinions keeps the forums fresh, and promotes discussion, in my opinion. I was just a little miffed at the (in my opinion) closed minded treatment i got in those other forums.

What do you guys think?

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: Calum ]

[badkarma]

I think the majority of people are close minded.....

I think you're second post (replying to your own post) was vaguely offensive (I HATE caps in posts to use as an EMPHASIS, which makes it seem like you are SHOUTING and prefer to use *stars* to emphasize words in a sentence unless I really want to SHOUT!   )

I think in general most windows users couldn't care less about linux (or think a pc can't run without windows)

I think the world is flat (oh wait .... )

[Centurian]

Hey Calum,

First I don't know anything about video editing so I am certainly not an authority on that subject.

I think your second post had a very negative undertone.

 

quote: Any ideas for alternative programs? What about ports? any ideas if VirtualDub and FlasKMPEG will be ported for *NIX?
Anybody?
hello?

Although I can see how you intended this as "Hello is anyone out there? Please answer me."
the tone of it implies that those reading it are less intelligent than you.

Most of your other posts clarified your intensions as being honorable but that one post brought down a small barrage upon you.

I believe some responses were knowledgably based. However people automatically resent anything they don't yet fully understand. You made the implication that Linux "might" be as good or "god forbid" better than Windows for that job.

It reminds me of an old man I knew as a kid. He used to say "We always did it this way so that is the way it should be done." Well I think that applies here. They see Windows as the "only" way to go when doing video editing. You on the other hand sort of threw a screw in the machinery. Never know maybe it will get some of the people who read it thinking.

But what do I know after all I'm "only" a Mandrake Linux user.  

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: Centurian ]

[dbl221]

Call me wacky but I think we should be polite in our posts....strive for intelligent well written post...like all good writing you must consider your audience.  Beyond that I have no thoughts.

[Calum]

i do agree with you guys but i reckon that if people are going to automatically take offence at a little thing like that then they shouldn't be posting to a forum!
what with the typed word, there's tons of possible misunderstandings happening all the time and people just have to give each other the benefit of the doubt!
That's why a lot of the posts on the M$Erad forums are so extreme, to give the reader a clear idea of what is being said.

Also i do not subscribe to the idea that i should be nice to people online so that i am an ambassador for Linux. I don't care if people use Linux! as some people said before, i just want a choice! what people do with that choice is out of my concern.
Besides, is every single one of those "windows is great" morons (generally speaking, not particular to my video editing post) an ambassador for Microsoft? i think not. So why should I tread on eggshells for THEIR benefit?

I suspect there is a department within Microsoft employed to seek out intelligent discussions online that are about M$ Eradication, and then post immature drivel so that the intelligent discussors are drawn into puerile flame wars rather than discussing the ideas at hand.
Possible? i have no evidence...

[Calum]

quote:Originally posted by dbl221:
Call me wacky but I think we should be polite in our posts....strive for intelligent well written post...like all good writing you must consider your audience.  Beyond that I have no thoughts.

i just read over my last post and it sounds like i am advocating nastiness when writing online. I'm not. I default to nice, until somebody says something to piss me off...

I agree with dbl221 as quoted above totally, but i do reckon that if something is said that could be taken in more ways than one, that people shouldn't just assume the worst!

I wasn't trying to be negative in my video editing posts at all! i was just trying to promote discussion, i mean there's about 10,000 posters on that forum, and nobody had started a Linux forum yet, i expected *tons* of people to reply, but they all steered away from it as if my topic had the black death!

Anyway, as i said, i wasn't trying to be offensive to those guys in their nice ivory towers, but they took offense anyway, since they smelt i wasn't one of them.

[MxCl]

You have to be really careful when writing things online since without tone of voice or body language it's very easy for sentences to misinterpreted. This is why smilies were invented I imagine. For example a line of sarcasm such as,

you're such a fool

sounds harsh but,

you're such a fool    

solves that problem.

The problem with my post is that I sound patronising. Not intended! It's hard when you're the newcomer, but unfortunately Calum mate, you did sound aggressive in some of your posts. Luckily there weren't too many juveniles in that crowd..

[ March 14, 2002: Message edited by: MxCl ]

[Calum]

oh yeah? is that so?

well,   :mad:  FUCK YOU!!!!  :mad:  

(hee hee hee hee!                 )