Eh, I'll get the last word, as long as I'm the one with the bucket of ink.
Actually, Jay West gets the last word. JW: sorry bro. Thank you for being
patient about it.
--- Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com> wrote:
> Evan wrote:
> > People who don't work in my field (i.e., almost everyone on this list)
> > have nothing but the final product and their own speculation for
> > understanding what happens on the inside.
>
> That may be true. But we don't *CARE* what happens on the inside,
> because all we get is the final product. I don't care what happens
> inside Microsoft; their software engineers may be wonderful people
> with the best of intentions. But the final product sucks (IMNSHO),
> and so that's what I judge them on.
>
> > Now, I'm not a software developer. But by the common logic here on
> > cctalk, since Microsoft is the world's most dominant software company,
> > I'm entitled to judge all developers by the crap that Windows typically
> > is.
>
> No, not any more than I can judge all television news programs by
> what Fox News does.
>
> However, given that all television news programs are basically the
> same, and all major newspapers are basically the same, I definitely
> *can* judge "Media" based on that.
>
> There are, of course, small independent newspapers that are less
> beholden to corporate interests. The fact that they are less
> affected by advertisers is *because* they are small, and they will
> either stay small, or they will grow and become more affected by
> advertisers.
>
> So yes, I fully concede that there are counterexamples. Yet I also feel
> fully justified in judging the Media industry by its main output, not by
> a few minor exceptions. Just as I would judge the software inudstry
> by what Microsoft, Adobe, and CA produce, not by what a few much
> smaller companies produce.
>
> > I know that isn't true -- not even close to being true. Yet if one of
> > you had some personal interest in the media and joined a mailing list,
> > and one day some reporter really went overboard about how much software
> > and those loser nerds behind it all suck, well, you'd have every right
> > to fire back.
>
> Not really. I'd be right in there agreeing with them, despite that
> fact that I'm a software developer. I wouldn't take it personally;
> as a whole, the Software industry does suck. Does that reflect poorly
> on me as an individual software developer? Maybe.
>
> > And that's what is happening here. I'm a writer with an interest in
> > vintage computers. I'm not a complete doofus: I can certainly handle a
> > crack now and then about my industry.
>
> Really? You seem pretty thin-skinned, which doesn't seem like a good
> survival characteristic for a journalist. But then, I'll readily
> admit that I'm not an expert on such things.
>
> > Some of you said "hey we're talking about your industry, not YOU, so
> > relax"... that is crazy logic.
>
> Why? You can insult the software industry 'til the cows come home, and
> it won't offend me in the least. I'll even agree with you. Because
> I don't take it personally.
>
> > I can't understand how anyone ELSE
> > cannot understand why I'm taking this personally.
>
> I still don't understand why you're taking it personally, but you're
> entitled to your opinion. However, I don't think that if I insult an
> industry which you happen to work in, that the appropriate response
> is to insult me as an individual. And even if that was appropriate, it
> still doesn't actually provide any logical counterargument to the
> statements that I (and others) have made.
>
> > So in all that experience, you can be sure I've pissed off a whole lot
> > of people,
>
> But you can't take being on the other side?
>
> > And you know what? Never once did I have a story changed by advertising
> > pressures.
>
> You're lucky. I only know a few reporters personally, but they
> have all had that happen.
>
> > So, whoever still thinks that we the media are scum, you are welcome to
> > throw away your TV, stop buying the paper, unsubscribe from all
> > magazines, block my newsletter from your inbox, rip out your car radio,
> > and go be a hermit on the top of some mountain.
>
> Certainly I could do that, but it seems a ridiculously extreme reaction.
> I think the software industry sucks, but I still use software. I do
> in fact avoid watching the network news programs.
>
> > Can we talk about computers now?
>
> Please.
>
> Eric
>
>
=====
Evan's personal homepage: www.snarc.net
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Received on Fri Feb 11 2005 - 16:03:51 GMT