using slang

[Charlie Kravetz]

On Wed, 2008-06-11 at 11:03 +0200, Pierre Frenkiel wrote:
> On Wed, 11 Jun 2008, Steve Lamb wrote:
> 
> >     Erm, slang is used all the time in technical discussions.  It is what
> > makes technical discussions possible without having to spend 50 minutes
> > spelling everything out.  Part of engaging in technical discussions, in ANY
> > field, is learning the slang.
> 
>    I visited, once again,
>        http://www.ubuntu.com/support/community/mailinglists/etiquette
>    and didn't see such a thing.  Do you suggest to add it?
>    Who would you convince that writing "P.I.T.A." saves 50 minutes?
>    I never heard that insulting sombody saves time!
> 
>    There is exactly the same problem in international conferences, where
>    a few people speak in a way which makes them impossible to understand
>    to more than half of the audience.
> 
>    to come back to the "forget hardy" thread, some people should obviously
>    read the "ubuntu code of conduct" (http://www.ubuntu.com/community/conduct)
>    and in particular this:
> 
>      Be respectful. The Ubuntu community and its members treat one another
>      with respect. Everyone can make a valuable contribution to Ubuntu. We
>      may not always agree, but disagreement is no excuse for poor behaviour
>      and poor manners. We might all experience some frustration now and then,
>      but we cannot allow that frustration to turn into a personal attack. It's
>      important to remember that a community where people feel uncomfortable
>      or threatened is not a productive one. We expect members of the Ubuntu
>      community to be respectful when dealing with other contributors as well
>      as with people outside the Ubuntu project, and with users of Ubuntu.
> 
>     For me, "be respectful" implies "try to be understood by everybody"
> 
> -- 
> Pierre Frenkiel
> 
While I agree with much of what is said here, why is the focus on a
single acronym (P.I.T.A.). I believe what the original intent was is to
avoid the acronym when you can, no matter which one it is. An answer to
the newbie full of terms he does not know results in more questions. An
answer that is written in clear English, the required language, results
in assistance. 

In any field, there are abbreviations used by the individuals in that
field, but they may not be so easy to understand outside the field. Ever
tried to read a medical report? It seems like every word is jargon, but
when the medical people talk to me, they have to use fewer acronyms and
more of the language I, the common folk, understand. The same should
apply here. 

On the other hand, if given the references and the suggestion to read
them, the reply should not be: "how do I?". That seems to make helping
much more difficult, especially the second or third time the same person
does it.

-- 
Charlie Kravetz 
Linux Registered User Number 425914          [http://counter.li.org/]
Never let anyone steal your DREAM.           [http://keepingdreams.com]