tcpip | Recent Events, FOSS and Security, Gaming Personalities

Somehow I neglected to mention in my last post two excellent events which I recently attended. First was John Foxx's Tiny Colour Movies. I shouted

dukeofmelbourne to the event as it was he who introduced me to early Ultravox some twenty years ago. It was excellent, an arthouse-style archive of movie fragments from disparate sources, combined with the Foxx providing backing music. The second was a more intimate affair, but one by a person who has probably affected more people indirectly; dinner with

arjen_lentz who regularly visits Melbourne to provide MySQL training and do more work for OpenQuery. As usual it was excellent technical and friendly conversation and I quite enjoyed the contributions by

laptop006.

Free and Open Source software is one of the areas where, it seems to me, the morally right policy is also the best technical approach. Widely reported, for example, has been a serious OpenSSL exploit which has affected Debian and Debian-derived systems (e.g., Ubuntu), which of course was widely discussed on Slashdot. Now despite the seriousness of the problem, it was found and patched remarkably quickly. Would this even have been discovered in a closed source model? Would the company holding the patents and copyrights admit the problem? Would they release a patch? With those questions in mind - and given the general usability of FOSS desktop UNIX-like systems, it never ceases to surprise me that people, every day, are still using MS-Windows and other closed-source solutions. It's morally wrong, and it's technically dangerous.

Over the years, I have realised the people who are attracted to roleplaying games are an interesting bunch. Many are people with either an incredibly systematic knowledge (it seems that every second sysadmin is a RPGer). Many (such as

patchworkkid,

artbroken,

drzero for example) are people of significant literary merit and talent. But some however are special and not in a good way. For example, one has to be a "very special individual", to start an abusive tirade because an observer comments that a regular gaming schedule might work better than an inconsistent one. Such a "special individual" would include Ian Bouch (yeah, top-posting, start from the bottom *sigh*). Congratulations Ian; I don't often condemn people on my journal for their personal behaviour but you sir, are an arsehole.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

OK ... If that linux president guy isn't socially inept then just what is his problem?

I'm not sure whether being extremely intelligent and a fairly hard worker counts as a problem, although in some circumstances it can be. At worst one can say he has a short fuse, which is a matter of temperament, and can be quite picky and sometimes about the wrong things. His mind does operate at a fairly intense level for long periods of time, and many people can find that tiring. He occassionally gets matters of historically fact only "kinda sorta" correct.

Most of the time his knowledge and logic is interesting, insightful and with practical import.

I'm also fairly sure he doesn't mind me making these comments in the least ;-)

Nobody has a perfect personality, but at least some people are sincerely trying to make themselves better people; more honest, more considerate, more thoughtful of the feelings of others.

The antithesis is those who engage in antisocial behaviour and when asked for a reason for their behaviour say they were doing it "for fun", are the real problem.

Not only are they aware that their behaviour is wrong, but they deliberately and wilfully continue to engage in that fashion.

That, in my considered opinion, is the true definition of an arsehole.

Did you ever consider that he wouldn't do it 'just for fun' if he cared what you thought and do you think that he would do it to people that he didn't consider to be a 'pompous arsehole'?

Antisocial is a rather strong term when he only engages in such behaviour with people he dislikes, plus it doesn't seem to be a daily event. In fact I could categorically say that he has not engaged in such a tirade of e-mails since he left your Church of Gaming, some 12 months plus ago. Hence I would say the said behaviour is not so much antisocial but a focused and consistent view of you and your friends.

I can say this with authority as He is I.

You really do need to get over yourself and find a more productive use of your time.

Did you ever consider that he wouldn't do it 'just for fun' if he cared what you thought and do you think that he would do it to people that he didn't consider to be a 'pompous arsehole'?

If you don't care for a person's opinions, it is best to ignore them.

If you do care, you respond with a sense of common and civil politeness, even if you think they're pompous; and do not pretend for a moment that just that because a person appears to be dignified, stately and respectful that they are in fact just being ostentatious - the behaviour could be genuine and indeed it is far preferable to assume that it is.

It is possible to express one's opinion fully without engaging in the sort of comments and behaviour better suited to those who lack a good response.

Engaging in abuse is for "fun" is an example of arsehole behaviour, regardless of the context or whether or not you even like the person or not. It is respecting the person as a human with the right to respect and dignity equal to your own.

You really do need to get over yourself and find a more productive use of your time.

I will let my achievements and the respect of my many and dear peers be the judge on whether I use my time effectively and productively.

I suggest you consider what you are doing with your time.

It may help you become a better person.

WTF ...?

*shrug* Some people don't like you. Sometimes the same people are rude about it.

Sometimes the same people see polite expressions that recognise that all people (regardless of any perceived foolishness) are deserving of a modicum of respect and dignity is being "pompous".

And yet, deep down, I suspect they know that they're PONA and their poor behaviour towards others is an example of their own social ineptitude.

Seriously, even taking out the ethical idea of simple courtesy, who would want to be seen in now multiple public forums engaging behaving like, as the link properly describes, as an arsehole?

Ian Bouch, that's who.

Maybe he'll get over it one day, and lift himself out of PONA status.

> Some people don't like you.

That's ok I don't like me either.

That sir, is usually a sign of a person who wants to improve themselves.
:-)

"It is respecting the person as a human with the right to respect and dignity equal to your own."

Read: It is about respecting the person as a human with the right to respect and dignity equal to your own.

It's a tough line sometimes. I try to be tolerant of all, but, I have a tough time being tolerant of the intolerant ;-).

Amen to that brother... I mean, we can't forget Mosley Jones. Heck, on his very first post on aus.politics he was threatening to assault someone.... Then for the next two years he ranted on about homosexuals being kiddie fiddlers. He was not the sort of person that it was easy to be civil towards (and many times I certainly failed the test of making a polite response to him). Obviously not everyone is in the same ballpark as that but...

There was that old USENET saying which is quite apt: "Don't wrestle a pig in shit, you get covered in shit and the pig enjoys it".

When one has a disagreement I consider it best to state one's case in a forthright but civil manner. If they respond in a manner that is threatening or with the language best suited for the lower-high school football team, then simply point out that they actually haven't posted anything of substance and, if it is a public forum, that they are probably improving their reputation among people who matter.

Fortunately such people usually end up friendless or surrounded by people who don't really respect them anyway.

Just a small question for you, which gaming group actually has female players? You may wish to ask yourself, if you do not have female players, why this is so! And if you did in the past, how did you manage to drive them away, if you are so socially ept?

Recent Events, FOSS and Security, Gaming Personalities

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