don't quite understand mailing list

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Thu, 06 Sep 2018 13:06:22 -0700, Ethan Furman wrote:

> On 09/06/2018 12:42 PM, Reto Brunner wrote:
> 
>> What do you think the link, which is attached to every email you
>> receive from the list, is for? Listinfo sounds very promising, doesn't
>> it?
>>
>> And if you actually go to it you'll find: "To unsubscribe from
>> Python-list, get a password reminder, or change your subscription
>> options enter your subscription email address"
>>
>> So how about you try that?
> 
> Reto,  your response is inappropriate.  If you can't be kind and/or
> respectful, let someone else respond.

No it wasn't inappropriate, and your attack on Reto is uncalled for.

Reto's answer was kind and infinitely more respectful than your 
unnecessary criticism. As far as I can tell, this is Reto's first post 
here. After your hostile and unwelcoming response, I wouldn't be 
surprised if it was his last.

His answer was both helpful and an *amazingly* restrained and kind 
response to a stupid question[1] asked by somebody claiming to be an 
professional software engineer. It was not condescending or mean-
spirited, as you said in another post, nor was it snarky.

But even had the OP been a total beginner to computing, it was still a 
helpful response containing the information needed to solve their 
immediate problem (how to unsubscribe from the list) with just the 
*tiniest* (and appropriate) hint of reproach to encourage them to learn 
how to solve their own problems for themselves so that in future, they 
will be a better contributor to whatever discussion forums they might 
find themselves on.

Ethan, you are a great contributor on many of the Python mailing lists, 
but your tone-policing is inappropriate, and your CoC banning of Rick and 
Bart back in July was an excessive and uncalled for misuse of moderator 
power.

To my shame, I didn't say anything at the time, but I won't be 
intimidated any longer by fear of the CoC and accusations of incivility. 
I'm speaking up now because your reply to Reto is unwelcoming, unhelpful 
and disrespectful, and coming from a moderator who has been known to ban 
people, that makes it even more hostile.




[1] Yes, there are such things as stupid questions. If your doctor asked 
you "remind me again, which end of the needle goes into your arm?" what 
would you do?


-- 
Steven D'Aprano
"Ever since I learned about confirmation bias, I've been seeing
it everywhere." -- Jon Ronson