[texhax] making flow chart with latex

[W.J. Metzger]

On Mon, 14 Nov 2005, Alan Litchfield wrote:
 
> Sorry to drag this out folks, but Reinhard it right in what he says, as are
> pretty much all the others.
>
> I have been looking at where the postings have come from and it seems part of
> the issue is one of language use. English is a difficult medium and written
> language poses special problems for communication. I try to moderate my
> written language because I can soften what my words say when face to face with
> gestures, intonation and expression.
>
> Some years ago, on this list, I was told to RTFM after asking one of those
> stupid questions. I mentioned that I had already read the manual, but still
> had questions because there were some parts I did not understand. I suggested
> the answerer should not be so abusive as well since I was asking a reasonable
> question. He was surprised I should say that and said he was only making a
> suggestion with that phrase. I had to point out that RTM is a suggestion, RTFM
> is being abusive. English was not his first language.
 
As you say, English can be difficult.  I was unfamiliar with the terms RTM
and RTFM.  Google helped with RTFM.  I suppose that by RTM you mean a
sanitized version of RTFM.  But since Google does not return such, at least
not within the first couple of pages of hits, RTM would have remained
meaningless to me.  My conclusion is that RTFM would be the more
appropriate.  And I find both equally impolite, but as you say, English is
difficult.  English is my first language.
 
Cheers, Wes
 
--
Dr. W. J. Metzger            Experimental High Energy Physics Group
tel. +31-24-3653127          Faculty of Science
     +31-24-3652099 (secr.)  Radboud University Nijmegen (**)
fax. +31-24-3652191          Toernooiveld 1
                             6525 ED  Nijmegen,  The Netherlands
e-mail:  wes at hef.ru.nl       or   Wesley.Metzger at cern.ch
http://home.cern.ch/metzger/ or   http://www.hef.ru.nl/~wes
  (**)  On 1 Sept. 2004 the University of Nijmegen changed its name, with
an unfortunate disregard for English grammar and/or punctuation.