It's good, though.

[libertango]

Seems someone at Microsoft tried to recruit Eric Raymond.

This actually makes a lot of sense. In the spirit of Utah Phillips' story about moose turd pie, going to the guy whose complaints are the loudest about one's product, and asking him if he can do any better through joining you, shows a good sense of chutzpah and cluetrain-ness.

But, as one would expect from someone who wrote the cheerfully unintentionally ironic, "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way" (that is, the article seems blissfully unware the real task is, How to Answer Questions the Smart Way... let alone, if one has done the job of programming efficiently, there shouldn't be any questions in the first place, because The User Will Get It) -- anyway, as one would expect, Eric jumps up and down, screams out, "That's Moose Turd Pie!" and refuses to either become cook, or say, "It's good, though."

Proving, I suppose, that he really doesn't know how to answer questions, smart or dumb.

Comments

[tylik.livejournal.com]

Though to be fair, there are many perfectly valid reasons for not wanting to work at Microsoft other than preferring to whine and complain. Working for them is not akin to voting (or not voting and then complaining about the administration) the price tag is a fair bit higher.

Straight answer vs. theatre

[hal-obrien.livejournal.com]

Oh, sure. I understand that entirely. And if he'd said, say, "That's an interesting offer, but I have ethical reasons not to," or, say, "No, thanks -- I have better things to do with my time." ... Yeah, I could dig that.

Here's what he said instead, in the final two paragraphs:

"On the day *I* go to work for Microsoft, faint oinking sounds will be heard from far overhead, the moon will not merely turn blue but develop polkadots, and hell will freeze over so solid the brimstone will go superconductive.

But I must thank you for dropping a good joke on my afternoon. On that hopefully not too far distant day that I piss on Microsoft’s grave, I sincerely hope none of it will splash on you."

{beat}

One is tempted to send him the definition of "self-parody", but it might be redundant. :)

Re: Straight answer vs. theatre

[tylik.livejournal.com]

Heh. I'd be careful about saying something like that, too. One of the reasons I'm reluctant to say "I'm never going back" is that almost everyone I know who has said that has, eventually, gone back. So I'll just say that at the moment it appears unlikely, and hope my luck holds.

Re: Straight answer vs. theatre

[hal-obrien.livejournal.com]

I can understand that.

*^*^*^*

Somehow, this all reminds of a postcard critic Edmund Wilson used to send out:

"Edmund Wilson regrets that it is impossible for him to:

Read manuscripts

Write articles or books to order

Write forewords or introductions

Make statements for publicity purposes

Do any kind of editorial work

Judge literary contests

Give interviews

Take part in writers' conferences

Answer questionnaires

Contribute to or take part in symposiums or 'panels' of any kind

Contribute manuscripts for sales

Donate copies of his books to libraries

Autograph works for strangers

Allow his name to be used on letterheads

Supply personal information about himself

Or supply opinions on literary or other subjects."

This version may be found here, which goes on, "To Wilson's dismay, he soon found that people began writing simply to obtain a copy of the postcard."

Re: Straight answer vs. theatre

[hal-obrien.livejournal.com]

Actually, I just went to a different source in the house, which has a photo of the card, and the above is missing a few items... But you get the idea.

Re: Straight answer vs. theatre

[(Anonymous)]

Raymond's response reads like something Stallman would write. But Stallman's wouldn't be so colorful and funny. And the actual answer would be imbedded in a clueless thousand-word rewrite of the Tragedy of the Commons. And there would be day-old egg on it. Wait, nevermind, they sound nothing alike. Except they both sound reeeeally bitter.

Re: Straight answer vs. theatre

[(Anonymous)]

Ack! I made myself anonymous again! Whoops. Walter here. wburton AT gmail DOT c om.