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[Steven Champeon <schampeo AT hesketh.com>]

on Sun, Oct 12, 2003 at 09:24:25PM -0400, Michael D. Thomas wrote:
[quoting me]:
> > Technical inaccuracies in a string of metaphors? Wow. That's pretty
> > impressive, Michael. Can you also find abuses of poetic license in a
> > hex dump? ;)
> 
> Well, since you asked, I'll tell you.

Actually, that was sarcasm intended to make you think about whether or not
you understood the previous post. Apparently, you missed that, too.
 
> Don't kid yourself. Metaphors about technologies /can/ be inaccurate and
> misleading. Promoting poor technology metaphors is, at best, naive, and,
> at worst, irresponsible, dangerous and destructive. Belittling this
> reality won't change it.

Urm, again, you're missing the point and being needlessly combative and
literal. I agree with you that good metaphors are vital - if the point
is to understand the reality they represent more clearly.
 
The claim at issue here is, however, as you refuse to see, "the mindset
one may adopt when approaching learning how to use databases has much in
common with the mindset that one might take towards learning how to play
guitar - specifically, that you shouldn't fear it, that you can achieve
basic competence for very simple things rapidly with a little practice,
and that the basic building blocks you can learn in a day or so will make
it possible to do many relatively simple things."

That's all.

But I'm terribly sorry to have prompted you to waste so much time trying
to decapitate this straw man you've built.

Alan, don't let Michael scare you. Have fun, play around a bit, learn 
something. You don't need a license.

Steve

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