[WikiEN-l] Don't template the newbies either

[William Pietri]

Phil Boswell wrote:
> David Gerard-2 wrote:
>   
>> It's from a search engine spammer, but the point stands. Templating is
>> not only insulting to the regulars, it's insulting to all recipients.
>>
>> How about some RFA opposes: "Too much templating, no conversation."
>> That should get the goldfarmers off the templating kick.
>>
>>     
> Oh, please. Would you listen to someone caught speeding who suggested that
> having a standard form was insulting, and that they should receive a
> hand-written letter detailing their idiocy in beautiful copper-plate?
>   

No, I wouldn't.

However,on the rare occasions when I have been pulled over for something 
or other, I've only taken it seriously when the cop and I came to the 
shared understanding that what I was doing was actually bad, rather than 
just violating some arbitrary bureaucratic norm.

When I was, long ago, a new driver, a couple of officers made a big 
difference by taking a few extra minutes to help me understand why they 
were pulling me over, and why it mattered. After that I took safe 
driving much more seriously.

On the other hand, three or four years ago I was pulled over and 
ticketed while going at traffic speed. The cop, with a little chagrin, 
explained that there was some sort of state-wide safe driving campaign, 
and so they were trying to bring down the average speed of the freeway. 
That had no effect on me other than to erode my respect for the law a 
little, and the road is still just as fast as it ever was.

It's not always possible to have that first kind of interaction -- some 
are not inclined to listen, and we don't always have the time. But where 
we can, I think we should. It will save us trouble in the long run.

William