Re: On Two Years of Silence...

[phydeauxarff]

I too took way to long from the time I signed up to my first post... 13 months.

I was to intimidated to say anything for fear of answering wrong, either through my own inexperience or because I misunderstood the intent of the poster....and ending up getting flamed for my efforts

Well, I finally got the nerve to start commenting and answering and guess what....I have gotten flamed on more than one occasion (sadly, usually anonymously) and I probably learned more from those flames than anything....mostly about reading the question a couple of times to see if I misunderstood and ESPECIALLY about reading my answer more than a couple of times to see if it was cluefull, or at least attempted to be.

All in all, I regret the time I spent lurking because I have learned so much more by participating and as an extra bonus I have made some great acquaintences such as Limbic~Region and Merlyn that I would never have had I not had the nerve to step up and offer my opinion

Perhaps we need our own support group, "Hi, my name is Bill and I'm a Perl Monks lurker"

[tunaboy]

There is a saying that has come to my mind (badly paraphrased):

You can be a big fish in a little pond, or a little fish in a big pond

( Although there are some monks that are big fish in a big pond )

By not posting I was staying in a comfort zone and not risking being corrected (whether it be politely or by being flamed). Like you say though, you learn the most when you are shown you are wrong.

Thanks for the reply and ++.

[Anonymous Monk]

Dude, who cares if you're flamed? Either it won't have any effect or at very worst you'll become a jaded, cynical shell of a programmer, which is highly underrated :).