Open Letter To Wild Bill(y)

[Karyl Severson <karyl -at- PLAZA -dot- DS -dot- ADP -dot- COM>]

Dear Wild Bill(y) -

Another poster to this list, Patrick, suggests that we should go through
all sorts of shenanigans to get rid of you.  Here's (in part) what he
suggests:

 "Off-topic posts (including mine -- cast the first stone, etc., etc.)
 notwithstanding, this guy isn't even contributing to the sense of
 community on this list. If he's not a technical writer, or training to
 become one, what's he doing here? This behavior is equivalent to crashing
 a party where you weren't invited. Or being a particle physicist and
 standing on a chair at a plumber's convention in order to shout, at the
 top of one's lungs, things plumbers don't understand.

  "WB is abusing a combination of anonymous remailers and the wide-open
 ability of anyone to post on techwr-l to post garbage. I say we convince a
 talented IP hacker to track him down (if possible), then mail his
 postmaster."

I guess, Billy, that on one hand, I find your posts intriguing.  I
wonder what makes you send us these emails?  Did somebody describe you
as unqualified?  Are you miffed at one of us, or the whole profession?

Frankly, Billy, there are a few times when I get disgruntled with the
list.  I'd be happy to correspond with you directly about these things
and maybe we can deal with our frustrations without bothering the
whole list.  I believe that behind your cryptic postings are some
real questions we might want to address as a group, too.  I'd like to
see you come out of the closet so that we could have a real dialogue.

You remind me of somebody on another list having to do with Japanese
sports cars, who, coincidentally, was named Billy and who gave people
fits for awhile.  There is power in being the nameless, faceless
poster.  But there's also fear.  Do you think we'll respond to your
real questions with derision?  I try to be open minded.  I'm sure that
a good portion of this list prides themselves on that trait also.

We ain't so bad.

Karyl
--

Karyl Severson
Technical Writer, Product Development
ADP Dealer Services, Portland, OR, USA
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* "There are two ways of disliking poetry; one way is to dislike it, the  *
*  other is to read Pope."                                                *
*                   -- Oscar Wilde                                        *
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