[TAG] (forw) Re: [lg-announce] Linux Gazette #126 is out!

[Thomas Adam]

OK, here goes.  :)

On Thu, Jun 08, 2006 at 04:15:12PM -0400, Benjamin A. Okopnik wrote:
> Just to bring things out into the open, instead of having to field
> spiky comments from dark corners: Kat has taken over processing the
> LG mail (TAG, Mailbag, etc.), and done an excellent job of it (take a
> look at the last issue, folks; we're almost caught up!), and Heather
> is very upset over "her" columns being "taken away". So far, she's

Let me try and recap things as I have seen them played out.  Granted most
of that information is sporadically contained elsewhere on LGang, but I am
only realising the somewhat spiraling direction this is taking.  Hence I'd
much rather map it out for comment.

Heather (and myself to an extent) suddenly through no fault of our own had
a rather large amount of $REAL_LIFE to see to.  Heather in particular
made that known to Ben, to which he said that was OK, and to let him know
when she was back.  

Then, through absolutely no discussion whatsoever, it was deemed
appropriate that some attempt should be made to refill the *temporary*
void created through her absence.  OK, that makes sense, and I agree to
that.  Kat very thankfully went ahead and did that, but there were some
holes, namely:

1.  A lack of comprehension as to how the parts all fitted together to
    generate TAG, et al.
2.  Not enough time to try to grok how they worked.

Now I suppose in hindsight from what I have read, 2., is something that
should have attempted to have been ascertained.  You could have asked
*anyone* on TAG for general advice -- especially me, since I have worked
with and on those scripts for sometime.

Why was that never the case?  I don't know.  It *should* have been, since
we're purportedly a team, and we help one another (through my own
definition of cooperation).  Thankfully you now have that knowledge,
although it may well still be sketchy in places.

As to this other method though, the one Kat has devised, I am still unsure
about it.  I don't understand the process -- it's a role reversal thing
here, and it looks as though *I* am now having to learn a new process.

Ring any bells?  What is it about this change that forces myself and
Heather to have to relearn a new process because of one person not
seemingly willing to be helped to learn the process that already *works*?
It doesn't make sense to me -- and it should not be the case that poor
Heather is ousted, though no fault of her own, and them more or less told
that she has to relearn things the way they're now done.  That to me, is a
complete cheek, and undermines all of the effort both her and myself have
put into producing TAG to date.

Through previous discussions I was in favour of doing two things:

1.  Documenting the process I currently undergo to generate TAG, and:
2.  For restructuring work allocations.

I did not, however, expect to have to be more or less _told_ how things
were going to be from now on, and any "discussions" that take place have
to pertain to the advancement of this "new scheme".  I would have much
rather helped Kat in using the scripts both Heather and I have been
using.  It's not an aversion to change that is pissing me off here, it's
the whole process that has lead us to this point that is beginning to
grind down my often placid demeanour

> insulted Kat and thrown wild, irrational accusations and demands at
> me, stirred up huge amounts of drama, referred to my offer of other
> useful LG work "bullshit" and accused me of trying to be her boss,

It does come across as such as times, Ben, to be honest.  (But again, that
might just be the danger of written communications -- and I am *far* from
qualified in making that statement.)

> Whatever happens from here on, there will no longer be an "editor
> gal" at LG as long as I'm the editor. I'm happy to work with whoever

That's a shame.  But I have to say your email rates a rather large 15/10
on the "grate me" scale.  Ouch!

-- Thomas Adam

-- 
"If I were a witch's hat, sitting on her head like a paraffin stove, I'd
fly away and be a bat." -- Incredible String Band.