RE: The Value of this List (was: REXX problem)

Thanks Mike and I know I'm one of the ones you appreciate most; ROTFLMAO
- JUST kidding.

What you write nails it my friend :-)

Thanks !

Chuck

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael Naughton
Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2008 8:41 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: The Value of this List (was: REXX problem)

I've been on this list for about ten years now -- I don't say much,
because usually I don't have much to say (not that that stops some
people ;-), but I have been grateful more times than I can count for all
the help I have received directly and
indirectly from the people who do take the trouble to post. There have
been some recurring themes -- impatience with newbies, impatience with
impatience for newbies, reactions to real or imagined slights,
meditations on whether Windows is a useful tool
or a dangerous botch-job, lengthy discussions on topics such as the sad
state of people coming out of computer science programs these days, etc.
-- that periodically prompt a rash of "you people are a waste of my time
-- I'm done with this list" type
responses. But throughout it all,the vast majority of the time, people
new and old come here with their questions and get them answered --
often in excruciating detail, with references to other help and
practical examples to take home. This, in my
experience, is a rare thing, and IMHO sometimes it's appropriate to step
back and appreciate just how rare and special it is.

And I think it's helpful to remember, too, that the people who make this
possible aren't all saints, and it may be unreasonable to expect that
they should be. Sometimes it's the ego (or whatever it is) that sticks
in some people's craws that's the very
thing that drives someone to make a post in the first place, and not
just sit back in the shadows and figure someone else will answer the
question. Over the years I feel as if I've come to know some of the
regular posters, and while I'm sometimes glad
that they aren't sitting in the cubicle across from me (and gladder that
some of them are not my boss! :-), I'm always grateful that they've been
willing to share their knowledge (and their passion, because without the
passion they might not have the
knowledge) with the rest of us.

So I think I speak for hundreds of others when I say "thank you" to
everyone who makes this list possible -- most especially David Gibbs,
who did a wonderful thing in setting it up in the first place, but also
all the others whom I won't try to name
because I'd inevitably leave someone out. You know who you are (and so
do we :-), and even if we don't say anything we're glad you're out
there. And if you feel like ranting and raving from time to time, don't
let me stop you. Keep up the good work. It's
appreciated.


Mike