Re: Ada95 products to be developed with 50% taxpayer funding --

[jasons@ngc.com (Jason D. Smith)]

[ Newsgroups trimmed - unfortunately not enough for everybody. Sorry ... ]

In article <4lhrof$1n5@mtinsc01-mgt.ops.worldnet.att.net>, "Colin James III 
(The Rt Rev'd)" <cjames> wrote a tremendous amount of blather that would be 
better served via email.

I apology for this bit of the pot calling the kettle black in which I am about 
to engage (this itself would have been sent only via email, but Mr. James' 
infamous email policy casts serious doubt on it reaching its intended target). 
If you would rather read about subjects more on topic, I suggest you skip past 
this article.  

Mr. James, if you are interested in how your image appears to a bystander, and 
why that may be important, read on.

Were I or my company in need of professional services (development in Eiffel, 
no?), one of the concerns I would have would be the working relationship I 
would have with my employees and consultant(s).  Proof of one's ability to 
work in a collaborative environment would be of tremendous value.  Evidence to 
the contrary (indignant name-calling being an excellent example) is also 
invaluable - for such evidence could save tremendous amounts of time and money 
that could otherwise be wasted in a painful (and a quite possibly 
*unproductive*) working relationship.

As a result, Mr. James, I would assume that your public reputation would be of 
the utmost concern.  

This is why I am confused that you spend so much time and effort shaping an 
image of yourself that *appears* to be such a snobbish, opinionated lout.

You may be a quite capable developer, I personally have seen no evidence that 
would prove the case one way or the other.  But, based on the evidence you 
have shown in your various postings, I could neither recommend nor could 
accept your services - even pro bono - I fear the price would simply be too 
high.

You may be able to repair the self-inflicted damage to your reputation, and 
show yourself to some of the newer faces on the net to be a capable engineer - 
*if* you learn to develop some of the following skills:

  o respond to inappropriate and off-topic messages via email
    (scolding is about as off topic as you can get)

  o refrain from the name-calling (that is, unless you *want* to appear like 
    a six year old with a thesaurus and an attitude).

  o offer up some constructive, on-topic contributions.

Finally, if you want to continue to develop that particular honor, do continue 
in your present style.  If, on the other hand, you want to earn a respectable 
living in your chosen profession - I suggest you consider some advice:

        "It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than
        to open it and remove all doubt." [Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain]

        "A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his
        own opinions" [Solomon, one-time king of Israel, in Proverbs 18:2]

Unfortunately, many of us will never know if you *can* save your reputation, 
for you have the dubious honor of enshrinement in a growing number of 
kill-files.

Jason.

PS: To save you some effort: 
    My FAX: (503) 531-7650.
    My direct manager is Mr. D. Lamkins

Jason.

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Jason D. Smith |       I'm not young enough to know everything.        |
smithj@ngc.com |                                                       |