From: whedon@netcom.com (Bill Whedon)
Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.misc
Subject: Re: What is the windows call to find the video mode?
Date: 14 Aug 92 18:20:35 GMT
Article-I.D.: netcom.3z6m#+m.whedon
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

In article <MARTY.92Aug14094913@predator.cs.utexas.edu> marty@cs.utexas.edu (Marty J. Sirkin) writes:
>
>'Dude' Bill Whedon:
>
>1) Thank you very much for answering my question.  I appreciate you taking the
>    time to write and post the response.
>
>2) Take a valium :)
>
>***FLAME ON***
>
>In article <m44mt-p.whedon@netcom.com> whedon@netcom.com (Bill Whedon) writes:
>
>> [an answer to my question, along with an attitude, including:]
>
>> You can also see the SDK Reference for the specific index parameter
>> values for each tidbit of data you wish to request.  I don't recommend
>> using the SDK docs as a textbook, but a quick glance through them on
>> occasion sure wouldn't hurt.  Take 'em to the head with you, or to the
>> opera when your wife/husband/friend drags you along.
>
>Gee, thank you for explaining how 'Real Manly Programmers' (TM) work.  Thanks
>for the programming lesson.  Why do you assume that I don't do this already?
>As it so happens, I'm mainly an OS/2 programmer who is just playing with 
>Windows.  I just tend to take other (non Windows) manuals to the head with 
>me.  And besides, I'm the one who drags my wife to the opera (she has to bring 
>*her* manuals) :)
>
>> Now.  I've not only bitched at you to  RTFM, but also provided an
>> answer for your question.  I hope you appreciate the fact that many of
>> our colleagues would only have done the former.  RTFM, dude.
>
>What is your problem?  Two people posted replies to my question, and quite
>a few sent me E-mail.  You are the only one who patted himself on the back,
>while suggesting that others would bitch at my 'dumb' question (nobody else
>did).
>
>It so happens that I read through 2 different books (as well as the 
>Borland manuals) for the answer before I posted.  I knew what I wanted was
>a device context call (of some sort).  I looked in the DC sections and did
>not find the call (it is in a *different* section for some odd reason).  Go
>figure.  So I missed the call when I looked, and asked for a little help.
>So sue me.
>
>As I mentioned before, I tend to program other environments.  I tend to 
>answer (mainly via E-mail) other people's questions when I can (most of 
>which are from beginners or experimenters).  I can only hope that I am
>more polite than you were.  When I suggest a reference (such as Petzold
>for OS/2), I try to do it in the proper spirit.  I don't tell people
>to "stop programming until they get it", I merely suggest that it would
>make their life a lot easier.
>
>I would suggest that while it is nice that you help people by answering
>their questions, you really could stand to do it in a more mellow fashion.
>
>***FLAME OFF***
>
>Peace,
>Marty Sirkin
I apologize if you thought I was being impolite.  I thought I was being
somewhat tongue-in-cheek.  I have no ire to direct at you for asking any
question you please, but some people on the network do, and it was to
their attention that I (thought I was directing) directed the sarcasm.
Your question was well-formed, and was easy to answer.  It was not really
obvious in the SDK documentation, I know that, and (since I come also from
the Wonderful World of OS/2 PM), not sufficiently like the PM stuff to
suggest the obvious place to go.

As to patting myself on the back, that was a snotty aside to some of the
more condescending so-called "gurus" I've been reading.  Sorry I was
mistaken for one of them.  I usually answer directly, and believe me, 
after reading your response, that's how I'll do it from now on, if at all.

I am sorry that my feeble attempt at humour escaped you.  I meant no harm.
Bill Whedon