Re (tilly) 1: What Kind Of Programmer Are You?

[tilly]

Do you help out people just because it is an interesting problem...?

Do you have to ask? :-)

I have to strongly second the suggestion that being willing to admit to being ignorant or wrong up front leads to more respect down the road. In a sane environment people don't care so much about blame as they do about having things work. This is not always true. But where it is wrong and CYA is needed, the best way to CYA may be to leave...

[joee]

WARNING: admitting your fault may also lead people to believe that it is ALWAYS your fault. When I used to work in a factory I drove a forklift and would occasionally run into something (like a computer monitor.) I would admit my guilt upfront. Since no one else would admit their mistakes, this led to me being blamed (by the people responsible?) for every forklift accident in the plant, including the ones that happened during my days off. Is there a moral to this story? Have I learned? Nope, I have recently been chided for being too defensive. I have discovered that I am NOT a "people person" so now I just shut up and study at my desk during my downtime, in hopes of a better future; preferably in my own office with the only way people can find me is through email or ICQ.