Re: #NetBSD on FreeNode

["D'Arcy J.M. Cain" <darcy%NetBSD.org@localhost>]

On Sun, 30 Dec 2012 11:09:07 -0500
diro%nixsyspaus.org@localhost wrote:
> obvious to me from doing a quick search. I referred him to #NetBSD
> (FreeNode). He related to me that he "had some terrible experiences
> on #NetBSD". The first time someone "talked with him in a sarcastic
> tone", and the second he had to wait two hours for a reply.
> 
> Now, the second experience could be understandable. #NetBSD isn't
> #live-up-to-the-minute-tech-support-operators-online-now-awaiting-your-question.

Actually, that's better than some organizations where I am paying them.

> However, the first situation is entirely unacceptable. This is not a

How does one determine "sarcastic" on IRC?  That's the nature of online
communication.  It is really easy to misunderstand someone's "tone"
when you can't hear them.  You really have to discipline yourself to
always assume the best interpretation on what others say.  If you can't
do that you better stay off IRC.

Email has somewhat the same problem.  I bet someone reading the previous
paragraph could imagine some crotchety, ornery, argumentative bastard
wrote it or you could see it as a serious attempt to have a quiet,
helpful discussion.  How did you take it?

Besides that, being on #NetBSD doesn't guarantee that someone speaks
for the project and we don't own the channel.  It's not our job to
police it.

Finally, it doesn't help to bring these problems here.  Even if we
could do something about it, without logs we can't even judge for
ourselves whether it was "sarcastic" and whether it was someone who
could be seen as speaking for NetBSD.  And if you have logs it would
probably be wrong to post them to a public list.

Next time, please send your correspondent to one of the mailing lists
for support.  Someone may still be a git but it will be balanced by
others.  With IRC you are stuck with whoever happens to be on line at
the time.

-- 
D'Arcy J.M. Cain <darcy%NetBSD.org@localhost>
http://www.NetBSD.org/ IM:darcy%Vex.Net@localhost