Dealing with Nutbags
Well, I was gonna write something witty about this but it’s 1:30am and my to-do list remains long and ‘to-be-done’ so I’m just gonna post this ‘charming’ email I received earlier from a nutbag who went from asking nicely for some help with something on my book to completely flipping and being abusive. Spelling errors are all his, natch:
Ya no, Ian–
You should proofread your book and TEST
each section before you presume to get money
by publishing it.
The last half of chapter 5 is a total fiasco.
Where do the URLs refer to ??????You assume toooooo much.
I’m angry with you.
Maybe I should shit can yhour book and gbet myh montyt back. and go lto another book!!!!!!
To which I replied:
You should proofread your book and TEST
each section before you presume to get money
by publishing it.I can assure you that each and every chapter is proof-read at several different stages.
The last half of chapter 5 is a total fiasco.
Where do the URLs refer to ??????The images – assuming you are referring to the background images with various effects – are relative to the document that refers to them. These are in the complete code archive in chapter 4 – examples > background images. As ***** at SitePoint confirmed the other day, those examples should have been titled so you know where to find them and this will be addressed in any revision.
You assume toooooo much.
I’m angry with you.
Maybe I should shit can yhour book and gbet myh montyt back. and go lto another book!!!!!!And you apparently feel that the way to ask for feedback is to be downright rude. I have one message from you which I received this morning that I was going to respond to personally this evening and I have been nothing but personable and helpful. However, your attitude towards me I find frankly disgusting. I have written a book that has received very good feedback from other beginners and do not expect to have to deal with this.
Next time you have problems, ask nicely – you’ll get far better results.
Well, could I possibly have expected it to end there? Or nicely? Well, whaddyathink? ;-)
Well, if you’re put off by "rudeness" you’re in the wrong business.
Moreover, only homosexuals and women are "put off" by "rudeness".
Which are you?
Parenthetically, only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day heat.
How’s THAT for rudeness?
If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen and volunteer for Iraq.
How’s that for additional rudeness?
Nice, eh? I bet you’re all looking forward to the day that this fine gentleman learns the ropes of web design and starts pitching for work aren’t you. I wasn’t trying to feed the troll, honest – he just helped himself!
What would you do if you got a note like this – particularly after you offered to help said ‘gentleman’ with the issues he was having?
Posted: June 26th, 2006 under Dumbass, Writing.
Comments
Comment from John Oxton
Time June 26, 2006 at 6:29 pm
This gentleman clearly has a sterile, low hanging, old man’s testicle for a brain. Though to say such a thing is an insult to all sterlie, low hanging, old men’s testicles.
Comment from Craig C.
Time June 26, 2006 at 6:36 pm
“What would you do if you got a note like this – particularly after you offered to help said ‘gentleman’ with the issues he was having?”
I would expose the nimrod to public ridicule by posting the entire E-mail exchange on my blog. :)
Comment from paul haine
Time June 26, 2006 at 11:40 pm
“Parenthetically, only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day heat.
How’s THAT for rudeness?”
…what?
Comment from Nick Harris
Time June 27, 2006 at 12:26 am
I second Patrick…
“only homosexuals and women…”? The tool is obviously at most 13.
Comment from Martin Smith
Time June 27, 2006 at 1:15 am
It can be difficult and frustrating when ones brain hasn’t the capacity to grasp even the absolute basics. He’s obviously getting desperate, aggressive and looking for someone else to blame for his own spectacular inadequacies.
That… and he is clearly just a posturing 13 year old freak! ;-)
Comment from Olly
Time June 27, 2006 at 3:51 am
Contiunue along the polite route at all costs.
In the meantime, track him down and pee in his shoes ;-)
Comment from Lloydi
Time June 27, 2006 at 4:16 am
@Olly – I did the polite thing. Now I’m past that stage. There were more emails from him that attested to the fact that he’s probably mentally unstable. I’m not going to reply to any more mails and, depending on what he writes from here on in, I may or may not choose to take it further. I was absolutely fuming last night, mainly because I was so willing to go out of my way to help but he quickly resorted to ‘nutbag’ tactics.
The biggest shame, I think, is that he’ll probably not finish the book out of principle and try something else (like Frontpage for Dummies, or whatever), so it’s a bit of a failure in a way. Ah well, maybe he’ll go annoy some other author instead!
Comment from stonepoem
Time June 27, 2006 at 9:01 am
Ian, I rather suspect someone is winding you up. The use of the word “Parenthetically” is striking and verbose. Very much at odds with the poo-turd tone of the rest of the note. They obviously would normally only read the back of a cereal box , but then … “Parenthetically”!!!! Where’s that from? Additionally, where would this type of gappy-toothed moron get your book from? A thrift store? A skip? Stolen from a library? Rescued from a geeks trashcan? Who knows – but it’s safe to assume in reality, they needed a modicum of intellect to get hold of a copy.
So. Don’t get drawn in, take it personally or even give it a second thought – there’s some stoopid trolls about, and you’ve just met one of them. If they do persist, see if you can grab an IP address and speak to their ISP.
Comment from Matt Mickiewicz
Time June 27, 2006 at 11:31 am
Unfortunately, a mental stability test isn’t a prerequisite to getting an Internet connection. Maybe it should be.
Comment from Karl
Time June 28, 2006 at 5:39 am
“Unfortunately, a mental stability test isn’t a prerequisite to getting an Internet connection. Maybe it should be.”
And put AOL out of business?
/ducks
/donsflameproofpants :P
Comment from Kitta
Time July 1, 2006 at 10:11 am
I tend to ignore the batshit crazy ones, you can always spot them by their insane requests and odd behaviours, time is better spent responding to the ones who can grasp the concept of common sense and politeness.
I have this one guy called ‘John Oxton’ who emails me all the time, requesting pictures of the backs of my knees. Very strange fellow indeed. :op
Comment from dotjay
Time July 23, 2006 at 6:19 am
Ohhh-kay. Kid or otherwise, this person seems totally unhinged.
‘Well, if you’re put off by “rudeness” you’re in the wrong business.’
Whether a Web designer or an author, there’s just no need for it. Most people would find such rudeness offensive. Judging by the responses, the person probably wrote the (absolutely perfect, easy-to-understand and error-free) book, “The Complete Nutbag’s Guide to Rudeness”…
Comment from Paul Solecki
Time August 2, 2006 at 8:19 am
Hey, why not sign is email address up to as many mailing lists as you can find? That’s always an amusing one, then cross post to lots of newsgroups using his email address. That’ll soon get him picked up by the spammers ;)
Comment from BrisVegas
Time January 25, 2007 at 1:33 am
I agree with all of the above. My only advice is to smile nicely, nod agreeably and ignore the more unpleasant posts completely. There really isn’t any need to stress over it, as obviously you have more well wishers than abusers.
When it all gets too much, just dream of sunny old Brissie. It’ll make you smile every time.
Comment from patrick h. lauke
Time June 26, 2006 at 6:16 pm
i’d tell his mom to cancel his AOL subscription…