A Word Of Advice To Those Seeking Technical Advice

I'm a techie, and I'm pretty good at giving technical advice, in the subjects where I provide advice. Like many techies, I'm not always as patient as I'd like to be.

Sometimes, my advice includes mild (or even blatant) ridicule. If I ridicule you, in the process of asking you for details about your problem, or I advise you to ask for help in a more conventional manner, please don't take my remarks personally.

When you ask for advice in an open forum, you will not always get the respect that you might get in more protected society. Free advice has a price.

»http://www.youtube.com/v/LrllCZw8jiM

Lighten up, Francis.

That's A Fact, Jack

»http://www.youtube.com/v/RR-PFQWOJWQ

That's a fact, Jack.

Robert Heinlein

One of my favourite authors (in general) and my favourite science fiction author (period) wrote

Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.

Lyndon Johnson

A former President of the USA (who got into office thanks to an assassin), said of J Edgar Hoover:

It’s probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in.