[H-GEN] So I was thinking

[ben.carlyle at invensys.com]

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Greg,

My own personal position is that I work in a job that I enjoy with a 
salary that suits my needs. I write software. I work in a Solaris 
environment. I've been the main architect of a software product that's 
been under construction for two years, and will either succeed or fail due 
to my (and other's) input over the next few months. Recently my company 
changed to use Lotus Notes for email. This was a decision related to an 
infrastructure project that extended far beyond the company I work for 
throughout the whole organisation. While this may indicate a "slippery 
slope" I don't believe it will at least in the short to medium term. If 
the worst part of my job is having to deal with Lotus Notes on a regular 
basis, then I don't think my job is bad enough to shove down the 
proverbial toilet.

If you have a tight shoe but it goes with your outfit you might try to 
wear it in a little and see if it gets you there before you decide to 
chuck it. If you have a flat battery and they don't make batteries for you 
classic vintage car anymore, but you can clutch-start it without too much 
effort, what's the big deal? It's all a matter of perspective.

Your perspective on this matter, I suspect, differs from that of a number 
of members of this list. The replies already posted are enough to indicate 
that. Your perspective is undoubtably peppered by your experience in the 
industry which I know is long and varied, and I'm sure that we can all 
learn from your experience in this and other areas.

It's true that we are free to choose our mail reader, but if that implies 
also a choice of job and a lowering of standards of living or job security 
then it's up to the individual to make their own assessment as to where 
the balance lies. It may be enough to tip the balance in some cases. It 
may not be the only productivity blocker in your enviornment, and it may 
just be time to leave. On the other hand, I'll be sticking with my job 
until someone offers me a better one or conditions become bad enough that 
I feel I need to go out looking. If my use of Lotus notes causes you 
grief, feel free to try and offer me a "better job". If you can't, then 
you have no basis on which to ask me or any other member of this list to 
get a better email client, nor suggest alternatives that are incompatable 
with our various working environments.

Benjamin.





Greg Black <gjb at gbch.net>
Sent by: Majordomo <majordom at caliburn.humbug.org.au>
25/09/02 20:58
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        Subject:        Re: [H-GEN] So I was thinking

I would not work in such an environment.  If a potential work
place insisted on enforcing use of tools that interfered with my
productivity (e.g., Word for documentation, Notes for whatever
it is that Notes does), I would not work there.  Work is not
hard to find in this industry, so it's easy to find places that
are worth working in and don't insist on placing ridiculous
obstacles in your way.

"Michael Anthon" wrote:
| Don't know if you have ever had the misfortune of working in an 
environment
| where Lotus Notes is your only option, [...]


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