[Cialug] SysAdmin FYI

[Jeff Chapin]

I think this marvelous quote from Stephen Fry is appropriate here:

I admit that if you want to communicate well for the sake of passing an
exam or job interview, then it is obvious that wildly original and
excessively heterodox language could land you in the soup. I think what
offends examiners and employers when confronted with extremely informal,
unpunctuated and haywire language is the implication of not caring that
underlies it. You slip into a suit for an interview and you dress your
language up too. You can wear what you like linguistically or sartorially
when you're at home or with friends, but most people accept the need to
smarten up under some circumstances - it's only considerate. - See more at:
http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/11/04/dont-mind-your-language%E2%80%A6/#sthash.cnBvY3Bt.dpuf

I must admit, that were I to see someone using 'l33t' in a professional
setting, my first assumption would be that they did not take the task
seriously -- for exactly the reasons Mr. Fry outlines -- it indicates a
lack of respect to *many* people, and the lack of consideration for others
is disrespectful in and of itself. To me, it is not the language, as much
as the casual, laid-back attitude they take.

Jeff


On Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 5:33 PM, Zachary Kotlarek <zach at kotlarek.com> wrote:

>
> On Mar 25, 2014, at 2:57 PM, Matt Stanton <matt at itwannabe.com> wrote:
>
> > these people really need to be more than just network gamers if our
> security and freedom are at stake.
>
>
> That's the heart of the matter here -- you're pigeonholing "these people"
> as "just" this or that based on some small sample of writing (one for which
> you have little context at that). I'd suggest it's perfectly possible for
> someone to both be a competent and respectful professional AND sometimes
> use 'lite-speak, even if you personally wouldn't use the same language.
>
> It's fine that you wouldn't use the same language, and if you were part of
> the target audience it would be useful for you to let the author know that
> their language wasn't effective for communicating with you. But the fact
> that you prefer different language is not a rational basis to reduce
> another human being into a mere stereotype, or ascribe malice to them.
>
>         Zach
>
>
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-- 
Jeff Chapin
President, CedarLug, retired
President, UNIPC, "I'll get around to it"
President, UNI Scuba Club
Senator, NISG, retired