Mailing-List: contact users-help@openoffice.apache.org; run by ezmlm
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: users@openoffice.apache.org
Received-SPF: pass (nike.apache.org: local policy)
Message-ID: <53998A780009A8B4@smtpout12.bt.lon5.cpcloud.co.uk> (added by
 postmaster@btinternet.com)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 06:59:50 +0100
To: users@openoffice.apache.org
From: Brian Barker <b.m.barker@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: How to prevent very long text in a cell overlap the footer
  in Calc?
In-Reply-To: <CAPBTqY+XE_qwD3kUcPNY2cP9ot4eaUHxNFs7SefAHSV875QpCg@mail.g
 mail.com>
References: 
 <CAGXUSKB1mkgYm5HxQeG8_6bMJJaO+iV-4X2vAxJx1=Sq_89ZwQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <539886e3.e8bf440a.0a6d.7643SMTPIN_ADDED_BROKEN@mx.google.com>
 <CAGXUSKDtP3UTqyA0KdJriysq4hzMntgQu64wc-RU0G8i-wDOYg@mail.gmail.com>
 <DD56E2D0-613C-47D0-88BA-04A209FAF99B@groenescheij.com>
 <CAPBTqY+XE_qwD3kUcPNY2cP9ot4eaUHxNFs7SefAHSV875QpCg@mail.gmail.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 15:39 11/06/2014 -1000, Rochelle Noname wrote:
>If this forum is to be a meaningful source of shared knowledge, no 
>matter what skill level or ability the poster has, there must be 
>respect and decorum.  If a poster has a question to ask, there may 
>be many others seeking the same or similar solution. If you can't 
>contribute to the body of knowledge, then don't reply at all. 
>Allowing such remarks is off putting to others, enough to prevent 
>someone from future contributions or asking of help.

What you say is, of course, entirely true. But I suggest it's 
misplaced. Mr Groenescheij can speak for himself - indeed, he already 
has - but are you right to castigate him for writing either "You 
can't fill a 10 liter bucket with 11 liter water" or "what you try to 
do is driving a screw in the wall with a hammer"? These expression 
are surely perfectly sensible metaphors meaning respectively "You are 
attempting the impossible" and "You are using the wrong tool for the 
task", both respectable opinions - and notably directed at the 
questioner's technique, not personally at the questioner himself.

If someone is making his own life difficult by using an inappropriate 
tool for a task, there is no disrespect in pointing this out. Indeed, 
it is a kindness and a courtesy to do so. Questioners should 
appreciate that no disrespect is meant and consider the possibility 
that they might go about their task another way. (It remains their 
choice, of course.) You mention that others may be seeking a solution 
to a similar problem; they too, of course, may equally be helped by 
such advice.

But you are completely right about the need for "respect and decorum".

Brian Barker  


---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: users-unsubscribe@openoffice.apache.org
For additional commands, e-mail: users-help@openoffice.apache.org