Regarding the post about the Minox spy camera, somebody wrote to me:
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I thought your column was not really worth the space and time of writing and publishing it. You don't have any particular knowledge or experience with the camera, and you've never seen any photographs made with it, but you're expressing disbelief that it could have been used for anything real? That makes it a seriously uninformed opinion. Who cares?"
Fair enough, I can see that point.
Except I was not giving an opinion, I was just expressing that there was something I didn't understand. And like often happens, lo, my readers helped me out.
When writing proper articles for proper publications (paper or online), one has to be careful to make research and only publish proper informed and considered opinions. But a blog, at least this blog, is not a proper publication and does not contain proper articles. It just contains "posts", which is a thing closer to a conversation than publication. It's very informal to me at least. It's just chatting.
Of course it may change nature from post to post. And a medium may be considered differently from person to person. I once had a correspondent who berated me for not leading in e-mails with "Dear (his name)". He regarded e-mails as letters, whereas I regarded them as conversation.
I think you were exceptionally polite under the circumstances. I would have roasted the commenter who sent you that, with garlic too.
ReplyDeleteBlogs are supposed to be for (polite) discussion and places for like-minded folks to hang out and chat. Personally I've learned loads from reading your blog. It's one of my favourites.
It's usually better to be polite. Nothing gets the goat of someone like more than being nice to them. Someone reacting angrily is something they can understand.
ReplyDeleteThanks guys.
ReplyDeleteI didn't feel he was rude, though, just that he had a difference idea of the circumstances.
My idea is, that since ANYTHING on the internet is essentially "unedited," I should expect it to hold less weight. I trust the article only as much as I trust the author, and/or system of authors and editors, behind the article. That holds true for any medium of publication, so my system hasn't really changed with the advent of the internet.
ReplyDeleteMinox is indeed using the spy genre as a marketing tool for it's new digital spy camera series, which also includes a small digital camera hidden in your belt.
ReplyDeleteYou can get more info on this and even become a member of the spying world via Minox's specially dedicated website: www.license-to-shoot.com
You can have it in English, as well.
Remember I've always been waiting for a digital spy MINOX? I don't particularly like the style of the camera, I prefer the original silver, more rounded and soft-looking look. But even so the new DSC meets my desires.
I'm curious what it'll cost. 250 Euros? 300?
Surely a lot more.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, my correspondent actually acquiesced later.
"Speak softly and leave the stick at home."