On Nov 28, 1:13 pm, xlr82sas <xlr82...@aol.com> wrote: > Hi SAS-Lers, > > SOAPBOX ON > > I think some posters and reponders use SAS-L as a forum to show > their superior skills. I think the list should embrace just the > opposite. I have posted questions that show my ignorance and the > reponses to these questions have been the most useful for me. I have > also posted reponses that contradict some other responders but rarely > do those reponders admit or correct their responses, usually they make > some excuses. I think comments like 'you obviously are not a > statistician', 'you don't know what you are talking about' or 'are you > serious' are not productive. Just respond with specific examples. Also > a simple response like, I did not know that, thanks, goes along way to > improve the list. > > I think we should all throw our egos out the window and embrace the > truth. > > I have even had offine messages from SAS-L posters when I > contradicted their post and somehow injured their ego. > > I aso believe the best SAS programmers realize their SAS ignorance > is much greater than their SAS knowledge. I cringe when I enter the > world of SAS-FCMP, SAS-Java, SAS-AF, SAS-Regular Expressions, SAS- > Hashes, module, modulen..., even though I have written and use those > functions I cherish the reponses from SAS-Lers with more knowledge > than me on these issues. > > On the flip side > I think editorial comment like the text above is ok for the list. > As long as it is obvious it is editorial comment. But editorial > comment should try to avoid inflammatory retoric, although fingers are > not connected to the brain sometimes. > > I do post messages like "Better Macro Quoting" and a Beter Interface > for Macros" and I am not sure these techniques are sound and are best > methods for production environments. My point is to open up a > discussion with some out of the box thinking. Reponses to these post > have been very useful and have lead to improvements > > SOAPBOX OFF

2 things strike me the best:

- civility - out of the box thinking.

It has been far worse on SAS-L than what you quote above but I agree with more civility for posts. The outside of the box thinking, IMO, should extend beyond SAS. Melding SAS and other technologies makes for a very powerful combination. For example, building an interface in Silverlight or Excel that works with SAS is great.

I show some of that here:

http://demos.savian.net

Alan

http://www.savian.net