Here is a short story I wrote that some may find amusing. It is for entertainment purposes only. I hope not to be boiled in oil for publishing this short story by people who take it the wrong way.
Seriously, this is frustrating.
So I'm listening along to the audiobook and want to make dead sure I'm doing it right. I've read somewhere that there is an into and it's like this and there is an outro at the end of each chapter and it's like that. I think I read there are choices you can make as to how you do it too, so there is probably some variation. So to make sure I'm doing it right, I go looking for that page with that guidance.
So I'm off looking at a lot of different places, the start of the thread I'm using, the front pages, any thread anyone uses, just everywhere really, the start of the thread that has the Magic Window MW (and naturally 90% of pages on LibriVox (LV) do not explain what the abbreviations are when first using them on the page. That's par for the course here and not the best way to do things. It's frustration across the internet and any decent guide or teacher will drill you to always explain every bloody acronym the first time you use it on a page. There are actual websites where you can browse all frikkin day long and have no idea what that website is for, or what KECUH is. It'll take about KECUH and tell you where to get it, who makes KECUH, how they came up with the idea of KECUH, how many KECUH are in a EHC, which kind of KECUH is best, all on different pages of course. It's like trying to download Debian, it's frikkin impossible. IMPOSSIBLE. you go to debian website, and I swear they do it on purpose. You want to download an offline set of files which represent all the iso files to install debian offline. Do you think that is possible ? When debian competes against the best in the business ? it competes against giants who are well versed at making 'help' (and I do mean that ironically) files and 'manuals' which are B*. Any of which we know cause headaches, and they get those exact skilled experts together and tell them go fix the downloads page on debian so that no human being will ever be able to download the iso files ever again. But of course make it seem helpful ok? do your worst. So they send em and they make a system of helpful sounding pages that give you an annurism within 30 seconds. You're DEAD in 2 minutes I swear to god, you have to know how to pace yourself and take a few days off, away from those pages, and do not return until your mind is sound again, so that you can tolerate their b*. Clicking a link that says "Download debian" should get you closer to your goal, I know, I know, but no, it's not going to start a download, I know that too. But being confronted with the history of computing and endless advertising blurbs about why it is so ecstatically great to choose debian and pages more of ARGH!!! every frikkin thing except a blasted download link or a file and BANG you're out for the count, too frustrated to go on and have to take a few days more. No, just try it. set out to get a complete set of debian ISO's for offline use. I double dare you.
Sorry, where was I ? Oh yes, I was looking at every logical place for this info to exist and be findable. clicking on the starting sticky in each thread, looking at the wiki, looking here looking there, at pages with titles that outright promise me I'll find what I am looking for, but never do. Oh I know, I know, someone will chime in if I ask and, using a tone that says you're a bloody idiot say, "of course it's in that place". ...of course, how could you be such a neanderthal not to know that, it was right in from of you all the time, how stupid are you?
I don't know. I give up. It would be nice to point out about ways to do things, but I'm never good at that. I know that with software or settings and help files you put at least 3 or more ways to find the same thing, scattered about in all the most logical places people would look, and that software is a fail if you can only find a setting in one place via one path and people have to dump what they are doing and go and find the website "best kept secret tips and tricks you WILL NEVER FIND without a deal with the devil to do the simplest little thing in the world with your common as mud software.com"
stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”
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TriciaG
- LibriVox Admin Team
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Since this is a "short story", I'm moving it to Off Topic.
Unless there's a "how do I do this" question in there somewhere?
Unless there's a "how do I do this" question in there somewhere?
School fiction: David Blaize
America Exploration: The First Four Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci
Serial novel: The Wandering Jew
Medieval England meets Civil War Americans: Centuries Apart
America Exploration: The First Four Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci
Serial novel: The Wandering Jew
Medieval England meets Civil War Americans: Centuries Apart
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GettingTooOld
- Posts: 416
- Joined: October 19th, 2021, 3:28 am
Hey, I know this one! Hitchhiker's Guide, right? I mostly remember it because Cory Doctorow adopted the phrase to illustrate what he calls "consent theater". He's certainly not all angry rants, but he has some good ones.
I hear you about Debian. I hear you about jargon-filled product manuals. I hear you about things so (often needlessly) complicated that they can't be understood by outsiders, and I've certainly seen open source projects where anyone with a question "must be an idiot". I hope you'll not take this in that spirit, as that's certainly not my intention here.
First, how I started as a reader:
Usually, I prefer reading product manuals or wiki pages to asking questions. It's part of who I am. I like to show up to school with books in hand, and confident that I'll know exactly what to do and have all the right answers. I received the welcome email (which, if I recall, links to this excellent overview of who does what in the LibriVox process), and I memorized what I could. But what I didn't see was the immediate next step for me, so I went browsing the wiki... then the Help forum... then the FAQ... until eventually I just posted, as I saw others doing, and that worked. That's all that was needed, is to say, "may I read this?" In the balance of preparation vs engagement, I went heavier than needed on the preparation... but that was OK.
Now, for today:
If your experience is like mine, you probably embarked on this epic because you were Proof-Listening a section, and it had an intro/outro that did not match the first post. That bothered me when I started Proof Listening group projects - this thing was different than the instructions (express instructions chosen by the Book Coordinator!), but it was still OK, the BC said so.
And how was I supposed to know that it was OK, without asking? Well, I wasn't, because it might not have been OK, on some other projects. They're all individual, and up to the discretion of the BC in each case. We let the BC know what's different and they decide what's acceptable on their project.
What I do these days when I see something like that, is to make a note of it along with anything else, and just mention that I'm not sure it has to change, but the BC can chime in if it does. Another approach would be to ask the BC privately, and then only mention it to the reader if it does need to change.
And for tomorrow:
I'm happy to answer any questions I can for you. If it's one best addressed to the BC of the project, I'll let you know, but I hope I never make you feel like an idiot.
One thing that helped me was a series of videos by Adrian Stephens, particularly numbers 13 and 14, which I wish I'd seen sooner, but which might not have anything you don't know at this point. I usually prefer manuals over videos too, but these were particularly good.
Adrian, if you read this, thanks again for the videos, and for letting my try out my completely overboard PL level on you! I've certainly got a more practical approach now.
Edited to clarify methods when PLing
I hear you about Debian. I hear you about jargon-filled product manuals. I hear you about things so (often needlessly) complicated that they can't be understood by outsiders, and I've certainly seen open source projects where anyone with a question "must be an idiot". I hope you'll not take this in that spirit, as that's certainly not my intention here.
First, how I started as a reader:
Usually, I prefer reading product manuals or wiki pages to asking questions. It's part of who I am. I like to show up to school with books in hand, and confident that I'll know exactly what to do and have all the right answers. I received the welcome email (which, if I recall, links to this excellent overview of who does what in the LibriVox process), and I memorized what I could. But what I didn't see was the immediate next step for me, so I went browsing the wiki... then the Help forum... then the FAQ... until eventually I just posted, as I saw others doing, and that worked. That's all that was needed, is to say, "may I read this?" In the balance of preparation vs engagement, I went heavier than needed on the preparation... but that was OK.
Now, for today:
If your experience is like mine, you probably embarked on this epic because you were Proof-Listening a section, and it had an intro/outro that did not match the first post. That bothered me when I started Proof Listening group projects - this thing was different than the instructions (express instructions chosen by the Book Coordinator!), but it was still OK, the BC said so.
And how was I supposed to know that it was OK, without asking? Well, I wasn't, because it might not have been OK, on some other projects. They're all individual, and up to the discretion of the BC in each case. We let the BC know what's different and they decide what's acceptable on their project.
What I do these days when I see something like that, is to make a note of it along with anything else, and just mention that I'm not sure it has to change, but the BC can chime in if it does. Another approach would be to ask the BC privately, and then only mention it to the reader if it does need to change.
And for tomorrow:
I'm happy to answer any questions I can for you. If it's one best addressed to the BC of the project, I'll let you know, but I hope I never make you feel like an idiot.
One thing that helped me was a series of videos by Adrian Stephens, particularly numbers 13 and 14, which I wish I'd seen sooner, but which might not have anything you don't know at this point. I usually prefer manuals over videos too, but these were particularly good.
Adrian, if you read this, thanks again for the videos, and for letting my try out my completely overboard PL level on you! I've certainly got a more practical approach now.
Edited to clarify methods when PLing
I'll be out for a bit on this last weekend of April, but still checking in as I get the chance. I will try to follow up on Monday, with anything I can't do on the go.