FLAME ON!!!! Constructive Criticism vs. Criticism

Reading the forums these days seems to require a flame-retardant suit.

It's not very constructive.

Statements such as:
- Don't they have QA testers?
- If I made software like this, they'd fire me.
- How the hell does LL stay in business?

are not constructive criticism; they're merely punching a man when he is down.

Statements such as:
- This new inventory system is royally screwed up.
- This new inventory system sucks.
- The new graphics simplification routines look like my dog barfed on my screen.

are at least mildly constructive, and I appreciate that the heartfelt comments at least contain some element that may be acted upon (inventory system, object mesh details), along with statements that explain how you feel about them.

If we could have more of the latter, and less of the former, I think we'd all be much happier reading the forums, and we would probably contribute much more to the betterment of the SL Universe and Torley Linden's mental health (YOU BROWN NOSER, DUKE!).

So, if you have developed a 3-d server-client system in the past 3 years, please head on over to Linden Labs Employment page and apply for a job as a developer. If you have not, kindly proffer your opinion on the software, instead of the people behind it.

And let he who is without sin....(Duke ducks under a barrage of stones).

*nods emphatically in agreement*

While I appreciate the sentiment, Duke, I have to ask... why do you think we need to be constructive in our criticism?

LL and SL are not well-meaning but slow children that should be petted and coddled. This is a service that tries to sell itself as a platform for people to come and make real money. A business platform. The metaverse. Or whatever lofty monicker they want to tag onto it. And yet, our businesses keep disappearing before our very eyes, and get more and more difficult to run with each 'upgrade,' and the LL policy is to shrug and wave some floppy candy.

SL is a service that I pay a good deal of money for each month. With any service I pay for, I expect it to work. Period. If it doesn't, I'm going to say that it doesn't, without feeling the need to stroke any dick while I'm doing it.

Because acting like a child wastes time that could be better spent finding and fixing bugs.



EDIT: [I take back what I said about you being nasty, elitist and without manners]. I misread your statement (missed the NOT). I have deleted my comment here - although it is quoted later on. I made a mistake. I apologize.



Their stated policy is not to shrug. Their stated policy is to try to fix things. As you waste their time with childish rantings instead of posting specifics, filing bug reports and helping the cause means that you are part of the problem and not part of the solution.



I have no problem with you voicing your opinion. I am asking that you do so constructively rather than irritatingly.

And, with all due courtesy, I respectfully request that you keep your hands as far from my dick as humanly possible.

I totally agree with you Duke, FAR too many people use the forums as their personal soap box to simply whine about the problems they see with SL and LL without considering everything and everyone behind them and/or to cut down anyone they can for self gratification instead of giving constructive critisism or good advice/help. Can't wait to see where this thread leads (and how long it remains unlocked...heh).

Where's the fun in that?

This is terrific - flame by post #5!

Wow! Nice personal attack on someone who just answered your point. So be nice to LL but be a complete bast**d to each other!

Anybody got any milk duds? A good flame war always goes better with milk duds.

How is you calling someone a "nasty mouthed, jackass elitist who apparently were never taught any manners" merely an opinion and not slander? Now, had you said "You appear to be a nasty mouthed, jackass elitist..." I might buy it.

I've learned that the most powerful tool for change is constructive criticism ... emphasis on the word constructive.

Criticizing is not supposed to be negative. It just got that way. To critique is to evaluate. Evaluation does not mean pointing out flaws.

Constructive implies building, or helping build.

Constructive criticism comes with a concrete and workable suggestion. In the absence of such it must have details that might help in building solutions.

Like the case of LOD problem. There was a post that pointed out the problem and clear data was supplied with regard to the distances involved.

THAT'S constructive.

If one does not like something, say the inventory management, all one has to say is:
"I don't like the new inventory managment system, and it would be better if <insert workable suggestion here>"

No need for "sucks ass" and the like.

First off, slander has to be falsifiable, doesn't it?

Secondly...if this were defamation it'd be libel, because it's written, no?

I'm just going by what Mr. Sensitive said

Roughly speaking...

slander = Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person's reputation.

libel = A false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation.

And you are a nasty mouthed, jackass elitist who apparently were never taught any manners, yet apparently you are still capable of having a business and making money. Allow me to point out that your statement can be considered slander while mine is merely opinion. You have out and out stated that Linden Lab employees are retarded. Whereas I have commented solely on your apparent demeanor.

First, slander is spoken, libel is written, genius.
Second.. saying that SL and LL are NOT well-meaning but slow children is slander(sic)? So, then you're saying they are?

I know, reading is hard.

I missed the 'not' in your sentence. And I reacted to it as if you were calling them retards. It pissed me off.

So Sorry.

I think you pretty much proved your own point, Duke.

People are total reactionary fuckwits when they're pissed.

Your reading comprehension seems to be lacking. She said they are not slow children who need to be coddled, she did not say that they are retarded. You on the other hand went straight for the personal attack against her. So much for constructive criticism.

As far as the topic at hand, asking if they have QA testers is a valid question. There is zero reason this update should have been released in the state it is in. It does not work as advertised, and breaks existing functionality to the point of being unusuable. If there is in fact QA work going on, it is failing to catch serious bugs, and that is a problem. The complexity of the system makes this type of work all the more important. Hopefully this release is an anomaly and they will learn from the immediate feedback from it. It is the only update I have ever wished they would rollback in 3.5 years.

I have filed bug reports, and also outlined exactly what was wrong with this update. When preview editions have been available, I've taken part and provided feedback. Sometimes direct, blunt criticism is warranted. Linden Lab's development process leaves much to be desired at times - they have even acknowledged their own shortcomings in this area.

Those criticisizing LL aren't doing so just to attack LL. I personally think they are tremendously talented, though admittedly a lot of choices being made of late confound me and I have concerns about the direction SL is going in. However, ultimately they are responsible to their customers and are not immune to criticism for their choices and actions. Yes, SL is complex and cutting edge. It doesn't mean that the basics of testing should not be applied or that paying customers should be guinea pigs with every release.

The content of your comment was inaccurate, but it's general tone and relevance was on target.

But I would take issue with your apology. The forum appropriate thing to do, as your interlocutor shows us, is to reply-in-kind, or even better, to ESCALATE.

Apologies will never win you the forums.

Luc:

Your post made me laugh. I feel like an idiot for misreading the post, and it's hard to apologize...but salted with humour, it made my hat taste better.