Import concerns revisited

[Derek Parnell]

On Wed, 12 Jul 2006 01:00:32 -0700, Walter Bright wrote:

> Sean Kelly wrote:
>> Not to get off topic, but that was a pretty hot issue and a lot of ideas 
>> were thrown around (as with this now).  I preferred the old syntax as 
>> well but wasn't willing to press the issue and things heated up.  And by 
>> the end of the discussion I don't think there was any clear consensus on 
>> what the changes should be.  I suspect this is why everyone was a bit 
>> surprised at the changes--any changes would have been at least a bit 
>> surprising.  I think what was lacking there was public evidence of any 
>> sort of decision.  At some point things just sort of died down and the 
>> next release contained a new implementation built from the conclusions 
>> you had drawn (accurate or no).  It would have helped immensely if, 
>> before making any changes, there had been a post outlining your 
>> conclusions and the changes you intended to make.  This would inevitably 
>> have sparked more discussion, but if it's a change you don't find 
>> particularly appealing anyway, I think it's worth making sure the 
>> dissenters have no right to complain after the fact :-)

Yes Sean, I think you have raised good points there and I tend to agree
with them.

> I was quite surprised at the negative reaction to it from the people who 
> suggested those changes.

Just to clarify, not *all* people who suggested those changes that you
implemented were upset by you doing that. I use AAs a lot and I love the
changes you made to them. 

> I spent about 8 hours yesterday writing posts here. There's only so much 
> I can do - especially since every post I write tends to generate a dozen 
> responses.

But it has to be better listening to your valued clients and meeting their
needs than quietly, but surprisingly, implementing stuff that the clients
weren't interested in or in a manner that troubled them. Time invested in
reconnaissance is never wasted.

-- 
Derek
(skype: derek.j.parnell)
Melbourne, Australia
"Down with mediocrity!"
12/07/2006 6:17:56 PM