list confrontations, was: [thelist] Org Chart?

[aardvark]

> From: Andrew Forsberg <andrew at thepander.co.nz>
[...]
> >C'mon Andrew...you've been here long enough to know that that's just
> >how he is...confrontational.

i won't disagree with that, because i think that perception is 
accurate... however, i tend to think that i am just blunt... on a 
mailing list without the intonation that you get with the spoken 
word, it's like the social equivalent of getting on a full elevator and 
turning to face the crowd instead of the door... it makes some 
people uncomfortable, even though there is no malice there...

> Well, there's a thin line to judge between reading a request as 
> 'inexperienced-and-honestly-asking-for-advice' and 
> 'lazy-assed-developer-wanting-something-for-nothing' ... we've all
> been in the former position, and most of us have at least occasionally
> been in the latter. Personally I'm in favour of cutting some slack.

that's one of my flaws, i'm not so likely to cut some slack... part of 
it is from seeing requests constantly go zinging by from people 
who expect to make money for their work (writing code, designing 
imagery, building navigation), but who won't pay for the tools that 
get that money for them...

if you're building stuff for free, then great, get the free tools, stock 
up on 'em, and have fun, i've got no problem with that... but if you're 
going to bill clients for your work, why shouldn't you pay for your 
tools?  i bill my clients, so i use tools that i've bought...  it just 
seems both lazy and cheap to charge for work but refuse to pay for 
the tools...

> >What makes you think he doesn't intend to be? Every indication *I*
> >get suggests that that's exactly how he intends to be..

i really don't intend to be an asshole, but i know that's how i often 
come off (which is why i won't challenge it)... but i do tend to say 
things other people don't say, and i don't pad them.... it doesn't 
mean i'm angry or purely confrontational, it just means it's my 
opinion and it's faster to type when i don't have to find nice neutral 
words that water down my message... that's part of the reason i 
don't reply to site critique requests any more, too many people 
emailed me off-list saying i was too mean...

> It was a 'benefit of the doubt' thing.

heh.... if it's any consolation, a few evolters who met me in austin 
said that i was "a lot more jolly" than expected... they can speak 
up here if they were just being nice...

really, i *am* a nice guy IRL, when i can speak... and i can see 
people react to my words...

anyway, my vanity has been served too much by this thread, so it's 
best to kill it... feel free to flame me off-list, i'll add y'all to my daily 
stack of hate mail... i'll put a tip in for each message in the thread...

<tip type="Photoshop, text">
In Photoshop 6.0 you can change the style, colors, and size of 
multiple text layers by first linking the individual layers, then 
holding the shift key as you choose the new text attribute.
</tip>

<tip type="Photoshop, vector masks">
You can make your Illustrator or FreeHand artwork into a vector 
mask in Photoshop 6.0 by holding down the '1' key while dragging 
your paths from your vector tool into your Photoshop document.  
Then click the Add Mask button in the Layers palette twice.
</tip>

<tip type="Photoshop, layers">
you can no longer double-click a layer name to rename it in 
Photoshop 6.0.  You must hold down the opt/alt key and double 
click to change the name.  Alternatively, you could right-click/ctrl-
click to invoke the context menu that lets you change layer 
properties.
</tip>