Subject: Re: [lojban] New to lojban, any suggestions?

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 16:23:32 EDT

The analogy fails precisely because an MS program isn't like a pencil (it's 
more like a book but not quite that either, I suppose). Yes, if you want to 
do all those things, then don't buy MS programs. But if you do have MS 
programs then don't do those things either. 
The point is, people do have MS programs and others don't. The vast majority 
do and are quiet about it, getting on with their work. A tiny group does not 
and talks about it way too much, claiming vast superiority for their pet 
system -- but pretty generally not being willing to do what would make that 
system available (in a real,as opposed to a "Well, you can get it off the 
net," sense). Nor to make the advantages of this system or of programs 
running on this system available to people who, for whatever blind reason, 
refuse to change from MS. But they are never shy about pooh-poohing anything 
that has worked for years longer than their system has been in existence for 
ten time the number of people who have even heard of their system.
In practical terms this is bad planning on their part, since it decreases the 
probability that their system will eventually come to occupy a significant 
role for computer users generally. It is especially bad for Lojban, since 
our growth is almost entirely computer based and alienating 90% of that base 
is not a good strategy for growth.
As you say, some people use MS, some don't. Let's let each use what they want 
or need to use and try to accomodate them equally (we've gotten a lot better 
on that lately, by the way, with Robin -- for all his puffery -- doing good 
lead work) and not cast random asparagus on either side.