Comments on: Burns: Touchy, Touchy! (Online Vermin, Part 7) http://www.contentious.com/2005/02/24/burns-touchy-touchy-online-vermin/ Amy Gahran's news and musings on how we communicate in the online age. Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:24:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Steven Streight http://www.contentious.com/2005/02/24/burns-touchy-touchy-online-vermin/#comment-14118 Steven Streight Fri, 25 Feb 2005 22:54:20 +0000 #comment-14118 All I really know about are the web developer and interaction design type discussion list communities. Other types I found extremely childish, burnified, and superficial. I visited a chat room one morning. Never returned. I visited theological bulletin boards and blogs. They were hateful to anyone who did not agree with their static, anti-intellectual, hypocritical traditions. What I have encountered at web professional email discussion lists is that certain topics are taboo (e.g., how evil virus creators are), and at one list, you are crucified and silenced if you question why web designers hate Jakob Nielsen and usability guidelines. What I think I've encountered are those who are "burn victim" oversensitive to anyone treading on their design school arrogance. It's back to narcisisstic web sites vs. altruistic web sites. Those who feel they can design "any random thing" just so they can feel good at an aesthetic "accomplishment"...they usually go berserk if you mention any user observation studies or usability principles, calling them "arbitrary" and "ugly". They are nuts and naive. All I really know about are the web developer and interaction design type discussion list communities. Other types I found extremely childish, burnified, and superficial. I visited a chat room one morning. Never returned. I visited theological bulletin boards and blogs. They were hateful to anyone who did not agree with their static, anti-intellectual, hypocritical traditions.

What I have encountered at web professional email discussion lists is that certain topics are taboo (e.g., how evil virus creators are), and at one list, you are crucified and silenced if you question why web designers hate Jakob Nielsen and usability guidelines.

What I think I’ve encountered are those who are “burn victim” oversensitive to anyone treading on their design school arrogance. It’s back to narcisisstic web sites vs. altruistic web sites. Those who feel they can design “any random thing” just so they can feel good at an aesthetic “accomplishment”…they usually go berserk if you mention any user observation studies or usability principles, calling them “arbitrary” and “ugly”. They are nuts and naive.

]]> By: Fred Nickols http://www.contentious.com/2005/02/24/burns-touchy-touchy-online-vermin/#comment-14117 Fred Nickols Fri, 25 Feb 2005 20:49:03 +0000 #comment-14117 Your series on "Online Vermin" was brought to my attention by someone on a discussion list to which I belong. She's credible enough with me that I took the time to come read the series. It was well worth the trip and I've bookmarked your blog for a return visit. Your advice seems sound enough, especially the pervasive notion of pausing before responding. Still, as I said to the person who told me about your blog, there are times when I wish there was an online version of the Orkin man. But, since we all fit the vermin descriptions from time to time, I suppose the only thing an online Orkin man could do is exterminate the population and that is certainly a cure far worse than the disease. Thanks for some thoughtful reminders, chief among which is patience. Fred Nickols Your series on “Online Vermin” was brought to my attention by someone on a discussion list to which I belong. She’s credible enough with me that I took the time to come read the series. It was well worth the trip and I’ve bookmarked your blog for a return visit. Your advice seems sound enough, especially the pervasive notion of pausing before responding. Still, as I said to the person who told me about your blog, there are times when I wish there was an online version of the Orkin man. But, since we all fit the vermin descriptions from time to time, I suppose the only thing an online Orkin man could do is exterminate the population and that is certainly a cure far worse than the disease.

Thanks for some thoughtful reminders, chief among which is patience.

Fred Nickols

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