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Filer_Run from a BASIC application

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Dave Higton

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Oct 19, 2009, 4:51:09 PM10/19/09
to
I've looked up Filer_Run in PRM 2-502 but I'm not clear on the scope
of the restrictions.

I've got an application with a very common structure: an application
directory whose name begins with !; in the directory are, among
others, a !Run file, and a BASIC RunImage file. I need the BASIC to
run a separate application with the same structure. Is it OK for
the first RunImage to OSCLI "Filer_Run !TheSecondApp"?

The PRM says "You can only use this command from within the desktop
environment or...", which is nicely general, but worryingly so.

I've written a test app that does exactly as I describe, and it
works. Is it really OK, or have I just been lucky?

Dave

Martin Wuerthner

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Oct 19, 2009, 5:41:40 PM10/19/09
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In message <e225dbac50...@dsl.pipex.com>
Dave Higton <daveh...@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

> I've looked up Filer_Run in PRM 2-502 but I'm not clear on the scope
> of the restrictions.

> I've got an application with a very common structure: an application
> directory whose name begins with !; in the directory are, among
> others, a !Run file, and a BASIC RunImage file. I need the BASIC to
> run a separate application with the same structure. Is it OK for
> the first RunImage to OSCLI "Filer_Run !TheSecondApp"?

Yes. As long as you give a full pathname for !TheSecondApp, of course.

> The PRM says "You can only use this command from within the desktop
> environment or...", which is nicely general, but worryingly so.

Nothing worrying about it. It means what it says: This only works in
the Wimp environment. That does not mean that the program issuing the
command must be a Wimp task, just that the desktop environment must be
active - which is practically always the case nowadays, unless you run
a single-tasking program that never returns to the Wimp, but in that
case, you would not be much interested in launching another Wimp app
anyway. The reason is simply that the Filer remembers the file and
runs it when it receives control from the Wimp the next time and that
will only happen in the Wimp environment.

> I've written a test app that does exactly as I describe, and it
> works. Is it really OK, or have I just been lucky?

It is OK. You just need to bear in mind that this is delayed
execution. So, the following sequence will not work:
* Create ObeyFile
* Filer_Run ObeyFile
* Delete ObeyFile (after all, we have dealt with it, haven't we?)
* ... do more things and eventually return control to the Wimp

Doing so will cause an error "ObeyFile not found" to be displayed by
the Filer.

Martin
--
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Martin Wuerthner MW Software http://www.mw-software.com/
ArtWorks 2 -- Designing stunning graphics has never been easier
spam...@mw-software.com [replace "spamtrap" by "info" to reply]

davehigton

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Oct 20, 2009, 4:57:20 AM10/20/09
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On 19 Oct, 22:41, Martin Wuerthner <spamt...@mw-software.com> wrote:
> In message <e225dbac50.davehig...@dsl.pipex.com>

OK, Martin, my thanks to you yet again!

Dave

Martin Bazley

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Oct 20, 2009, 4:37:00 PM10/20/09
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The following bytes were arranged on 20 Oct 2009 by davehigton :

The solution I've used, in a multitasking BASIC application, is to have
all my Wimp_Poll handling in one procedure, and to call this after every
Filer_Run, like so:

OSCLI "Save ObeyFile"
OSCLI "Filer_Run ObeyFile"
PROCpoll
OSCLI "Delete ObeyFile"

For the Filer to Filer_Run something it needs to have control passed to
it first.

--
__<^>__ "Your pet, our passion." - Purina
/ _ _ \ "Your potential, our passion." - Microsoft, a few months later
( ( |_| ) )
\_> <_/ ======================= Martin Bazley ==========================

druck

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Oct 20, 2009, 5:29:11 PM10/20/09
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davehigton wrote:
> On 19 Oct, 22:41, Martin Wuerthner <spamt...@mw-software.com> wrote:

[Huge Snip]


>
> OK, Martin, my thanks to you yet again!

Please don't quote all the past messages just to add one line at the
end, it's an annoying waste of everyone's time.

---druck

Martin Wuerthner

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Oct 21, 2009, 6:17:06 AM10/21/09
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In message <49b05dad...@blueyonder.co.uk>
Martin Bazley <martin...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

> The following bytes were arranged on 20 Oct 2009 by davehigton :

>> On 19 Oct, 22:41, Martin Wuerthner <spamt...@mw-software.com> wrote:

>>> [...] So, the following sequence will not work:


>>> * Create ObeyFile
>>> * Filer_Run ObeyFile
>>> * Delete ObeyFile (after all, we have dealt with it, haven't we?)
>>> * ... do more things and eventually return control to the Wimp
>>>
>>> Doing so will cause an error "ObeyFile not found" to be displayed by
>>> the Filer.
>>
>> OK, Martin, my thanks to you yet again!

> The solution I've used, in a multitasking BASIC application, is to have
> all my Wimp_Poll handling in one procedure, and to call this after every
> Filer_Run, like so:

> OSCLI "Save ObeyFile"
> OSCLI "Filer_Run ObeyFile"
> PROCpoll
> OSCLI "Delete ObeyFile"

> For the Filer to Filer_Run something it needs to have control passed to
> it first.

Unfortunately, you have no guarantee that the Filer is passed control
if you call Wimp_Poll once. The only guarantee you have is that your
application only gets a Null event after all events of higher priority
have been delivered to all tasks. This is why calling Wimp_Poll once
as part of the data transfer protocol is enough: you are waiting for a
response to a user message, which has high priority.

Here, you do not know which kind of event is involved at the Filer's
end. It could be a Null event, in which case it could be possible that
your task is called with a Null event again without the Filer having
been given control inbetween.

Jeremy Nicoll - news posts

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Oct 21, 2009, 10:21:33 AM10/21/09
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Dave Higton <daveh...@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

> I've looked up Filer_Run in PRM 2-502 but I'm not clear on the scope
> of the restrictions.
>
> I've got an application with a very common structure: an application
> directory whose name begins with !; in the directory are, among
> others, a !Run file, and a BASIC RunImage file. I need the BASIC to
> run a separate application with the same structure. Is it OK for
> the first RunImage to OSCLI "Filer_Run !TheSecondApp"?

Why not issue: OSCLI("WimpTask Run <TheSecondApp>")

and get it done in a separate task.

If you have a problem with variable resolution:

OSCLI("Do WimpTask Run <TheSecondApp>") ?

If you actually know that the file to be run is an Obey file, speed things
up a bit with:

OSCLI("Do WimpTask Obey <TheSecondApp>.!Run")


--
Jeremy C B Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

Email sent to my from-address will be deleted. Instead, please reply
to newsre...@wingsandbeaks.org.uk replacing "nnn" by "284".

Dave Higton

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Oct 21, 2009, 5:13:05 PM10/21/09
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In message <4ADE2BA7...@druck.freeuk.com>
druck <ne...@druck.freeuk.com> wrote:

> Please don't quote all the past messages just to add one line at the
> end, it's an annoying waste of everyone's time.

I'm getting a bit irked by your postings in this vein. /You/ are
wasting /our/ time, not to mention your time typing them.

Dave

druck

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Oct 23, 2009, 4:36:38 PM10/23/09
to

Well buck your ideas up then, you have been here long enough not to need
telling.

---druck

Dave Higton

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Oct 23, 2009, 4:47:44 PM10/23/09
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In message <gemini.krvbv...@wingsandbeaks.org.uk.invalid>
Jeremy Nicoll - news posts <jn.nntp....@wingsandbeaks.org.uk>
wrote:

> Dave Higton <daveh...@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:
>
> > I've looked up Filer_Run in PRM 2-502 but I'm not clear on the scope
> > of the restrictions.
> >
> > I've got an application with a very common structure: an application
> > directory whose name begins with !; in the directory are, among
> > others, a !Run file, and a BASIC RunImage file. I need the BASIC to
> > run a separate application with the same structure. Is it OK for
> > the first RunImage to OSCLI "Filer_Run !TheSecondApp"?
>
> Why not issue: OSCLI("WimpTask Run <TheSecondApp>")
>
> and get it done in a separate task.
>
> If you have a problem with variable resolution:
>
> OSCLI("Do WimpTask Run <TheSecondApp>") ?
>
> If you actually know that the file to be run is an Obey file, speed things
> up a bit with:
>
> OSCLI("Do WimpTask Obey <TheSecondApp>.!Run")

Thanks, Jeremy, but the point has become moot, as I've been able to
write and test a proper app that doesn't require this.

Dave

Matthew Phillips

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Oct 24, 2009, 3:46:59 AM10/24/09
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In message <4AE213D...@druck.freeuk.com>

I had been tempted to get involved in this thread before, but refrained.
I agree with Dave Higton that your "net police" postings can get a bit
irritating for the rest of us and I'm disappointed in this rude reply to Dave
who is one of our most valued contributors.

Could you perhaps alter the subject line when you send such postings to
add something like "[etiquette]", "[net police]" or whatever, so that we can
all set up filters to remove these things from sight.

Alternatively, could you consider posting your (excellent, it has to be
admitted) advice on Usenet style privately to the offending poster off-list?

The standard of posting on Acorn newsgroups is usually pretty good, and it
may well be that we have to thank druck for this in his single-handed
efforts, but I would like to state my agreement with Dave Higton that the
postings can be quite annoying to the rest of us if they come too frequently.
Limit yourself to one a week, perhaps? That should be enough for other
offenders to get the idea!

--
Matthew Phillips
Dundee

Rob Kendrick

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Oct 24, 2009, 8:26:11 AM10/24/09
to
On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:46:59 +0100
Matthew Phillips <mn...@sinenomine.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

> The standard of posting on Acorn newsgroups is usually pretty good,
> and it may well be that we have to thank druck for this in his
> single-handed efforts, but I would like to state my agreement with
> Dave Higton that the postings can be quite annoying to the rest of us
> if they come too frequently. Limit yourself to one a week, perhaps?
> That should be enough for other offenders to get the idea!

I find them less annoying than the things he's complaining about; at
least I don't have to scroll through pages of quoted text to find his
complaint.

B.

Vince M Hudd

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Oct 24, 2009, 10:38:58 AM10/24/09
to
Matthew Phillips <mn...@sinenomine.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

[replying to Druck]

> I had been tempted to get involved in this thread before, but refrained. I
> agree with Dave Higton that your "net police" postings can get a bit
> irritating for the rest of us

I'm a member of the group called "the rest of us" and Druck's posts don't
annoy me, FWIW - it's what Druck replies to with such posts that do annoy
me.

I'd add that when the problem is excessive quoting, I'm more likely to
delete the post without reading and move to the next if the new text is off
my screen - and I suspect I'm not alone in that. If I'm right, then the rule
of thumb is don't quote too much if you want to be read.

Dave's quoting that Druck complained about didn't actually push the new text
off my screen, but nobody can predict which machine (at what resolution) I
or anyone else will be using.

> and I'm disappointed in this rude reply to Dave who is one of our most
> valued contributors.

> Could you perhaps alter the subject line when you send such postings to
> add something like "[etiquette]", "[net police]" or whatever, so that we
> can all set up filters to remove these things from sight.

That won't work. It'll work in that those who don't want to see such posts
won't, because they'll filter them out. The problem is that the type of
person who needs to be told will probably also filter them out - especially
once they've seen such a reply in response to one of their own posts.



> Alternatively, could you consider posting your (excellent, it has to be
> admitted) advice on Usenet style privately to the offending poster
> off-list?

I thought Druck did do this in the past, only posting here when the email
address was crud - but Dave's address looks perfectly valid. Perhaps Druck's
changed his policy after receiving too many bounces from stupid spamtraps.

[...]

--
Vince M Hudd
Soft Rock Software

Steve Fryatt

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Oct 25, 2009, 7:44:09 AM10/25/09
to
Vince M Hudd <sp...@softrock.co.uk> wrote:

> Matthew Phillips <mn...@sinenomine.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>
> [replying to Druck]
>
> > I had been tempted to get involved in this thread before, but refrained.
> > I agree with Dave Higton that your "net police" postings can get a bit
> > irritating for the rest of us
>
> I'm a member of the group called "the rest of us" and Druck's posts don't
> annoy me, FWIW - it's what Druck replies to with such posts that do annoy
> me.

Er, me too...

I wouldn't personally bother posting as Druck does, but I certainly don't
mind that someone does so on my behalf (as it were).

[snip]



> > Alternatively, could you consider posting your (excellent, it has to be
> > admitted) advice on Usenet style privately to the offending poster
> > off-list?
>
> I thought Druck did do this in the past, only posting here when the email
> address was crud - but Dave's address looks perfectly valid. Perhaps
> Druck's changed his policy after receiving too many bounces from stupid
> spamtraps.

ISTR that the howls of protest from some people at getting 'quiet reminders'
as to netiquette put an end to this policy.

--
Steve Fryatt - Leeds, England

http://www.stevefryatt.org.uk/

Dave Higton

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Oct 25, 2009, 12:28:58 PM10/25/09
to
In message <4AE213D...@druck.freeuk.com>
druck <ne...@druck.freeuk.com> wrote:

Your ideas of net policing were appropriate to the early 1990s,
when everybody had a slow connection and each word had a significant
cost. Times have changed. Every posting is delivered in a small
fraction of a second, at a marginal cost of zero or something so
tiny that it might as well be zero.

So, contrary to what you so rudely say, /you/ should buck your
ideas up to 2009. Your mindset seems to be stuck a long time
in the past.

And get ready for 2010 - it's not long away.

And another thing: you subscribed to this, and other, newsgroups.
In doing so, you implicitly accepted that you were going to read
lots of stuff that was not relevant to you. You have no grounds
to complain about each piece that you'd prefer not to bother with.

It's a good argument for top posting - that way you don't have to
scroll down to see the reply.

Dave

Dave Higton

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Oct 25, 2009, 12:20:49 PM10/25/09
to
In message <298926af5...@sinenomine.freeserve.co.uk>
Matthew Phillips <mn...@sinenomine.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

> Alternatively, could you consider posting your (excellent, it has to be
> admitted) advice on Usenet style privately to the offending poster
> off-list?

Oh, he does that, too. The trouble is that he does it from an
account that doesn't accept replies, therefore it isn't possible
to argue with him - except by taking the discussion to a public
forum. In that case one would be repeating private correspondence
in public, which would be bad netiquette.

Which really means that it's Dave Ruck who is guilty of bad
netiquette.

Who'd have thought it?

Dave

Alan Wrigley

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Oct 25, 2009, 12:56:45 PM10/25/09
to
Some people wrote:

> Please don't quote all the past messages just to add one line...

> I'm getting a bit irked by your postings in this vein...

> Well buck your ideas up then...

> It's a good argument for top posting...

Boy, am I glad I don't read any of the other Acorn newsgroups any more.

Alan

--
RISC OS - you know it makes cents

Richard Russell

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Oct 25, 2009, 1:29:22 PM10/25/09
to
On Oct 24, 2:38 pm, Vince M Hudd <s...@softrock.co.uk> wrote:
> I'm a member of the group called "the rest of us" and Druck's posts don't
> annoy me

They really irritate me. I'm pretty certain they increase, not
reduce, the amount of stuff I simply don't want (or need) to read.

Richard.
http://www.rtrussell.co.uk/

druck

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Oct 25, 2009, 2:40:23 PM10/25/09
to
Dave Higton wrote:
> In message <298926af5...@sinenomine.freeserve.co.uk> Matthew
> Phillips <mn...@sinenomine.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Alternatively, could you consider posting your (excellent, it has
>> to be admitted) advice on Usenet style privately to the offending
>> poster off-list?
>
> Oh, he does that, too. The trouble is that he does it from an
> account that doesn't accept replies,

All my accounts accept replies.

> therefore it isn't possible to argue with him - except by taking the
> discussion to a public forum.

Perhaps the argument for quoting entire messages and adding a single
line isn't powerful enough to make it past my content filters.

> Which really means that it's Dave Ruck who is guilty of bad
> netiquette.

Really, wow.

> Who'd have thought it?

I could mention something about whit at this point, or at least half of
one. :-)

---druck

Dave Higton

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Oct 25, 2009, 5:26:09 PM10/25/09
to
In message <4AE49B97...@druck.org.uk>
druck <ne...@druck.org.uk> wrote:

Just quit your whining, whingeing and time-wasting. Try making
a positive contribution to RISC OS. It's years since you did.

Dave

Rob Kendrick

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Oct 25, 2009, 5:47:56 PM10/25/09
to
On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:26:09 GMT
Dave Higton <daveh...@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

> Just quit your whining, whingeing and time-wasting. Try making
> a positive contribution to RISC OS. It's years since you did.

What, you mean like exhibiting and helping running shows, providing
technical support for exiting customers, and policing here?

It smells strongly like you've only posted this so you can antagonise
by yet again not snipping. And thinking it's about the bytes is just
short-sighted.

B.

Dave Higton

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Oct 25, 2009, 6:14:29 PM10/25/09
to
In message <20091025214...@trite.i.flarn.net.i.flarn.net>
Rob Kendrick <nn...@rjek.com> wrote:

> On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:26:09 GMT
> Dave Higton <daveh...@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:
>
> > Just quit your whining, whingeing and time-wasting. Try making
> > a positive contribution to RISC OS. It's years since you did.
>
> What, you mean like exhibiting and helping running shows, providing
> technical support for exiting customers, and policing here?

I'll pass on the first two because I don't know if he does anything.
As for policing: I think he's a hindrance rather than a help.

> It smells strongly like you've only posted this so you can antagonise
> by yet again not snipping. And thinking it's about the bytes is just
> short-sighted.

I'm reacting because I'm fed up with his attempts at policing, which
waste a lot of time, bandwidth and "nervous energy". I don't want
to let him get away with it.

Dave

Rob Kendrick

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Oct 25, 2009, 8:47:00 PM10/25/09
to
On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:14:29 GMT
Dave Higton <daveh...@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

> > It smells strongly like you've only posted this so you can
> > antagonise by yet again not snipping. And thinking it's about the
> > bytes is just short-sighted.
>
> I'm reacting because I'm fed up with his attempts at policing, which
> waste a lot of time, bandwidth and "nervous energy". I don't want
> to let him get away with it.

A moment ago, you were claiming bandwidth did not matter. And I think
I spend more time scrolling pointlessly to the bottom of badly-trimmed
mails than I do reading Dave's bitchings.

I have no idea what "nervous energy" is, but it sounds like something
one might hear about on Living TV.

B.

Dave Higton

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Oct 26, 2009, 4:27:46 PM10/26/09
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In message <20091026004...@trite.i.flarn.net.i.flarn.net>
Rob Kendrick <nn...@rjek.com> wrote:

> A moment ago, you were claiming bandwidth did not matter. And I think
> I spend more time scrolling pointlessly to the bottom of badly-trimmed
> mails than I do reading Dave's bitchings.

I'm not complaining about waste of bandwidth; I really don't mind at
all. I'm pointing out Dave Ruck's faulty logic; he /did/ complain
of wasted bandwidth, but then proceeded to waste more bandwidth
himself, in part directly by his clumsy, irritating attempts at
net-copping, in part by the argument that he inevitably stirs up.

Dave

Rob Kendrick

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Oct 26, 2009, 8:00:43 PM10/26/09
to
On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:27:46 GMT
Dave Higton <daveh...@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

> > A moment ago, you were claiming bandwidth did not matter. And I
> > think I spend more time scrolling pointlessly to the bottom of
> > badly-trimmed mails than I do reading Dave's bitchings.
>
> I'm not complaining about waste of bandwidth; I really don't mind at
> all. I'm pointing out Dave Ruck's faulty logic; he /did/ complain
> of wasted bandwidth, but then proceeded to waste more bandwidth
> himself, in part directly by his clumsy, irritating attempts at
> net-copping, in part by the argument that he inevitably stirs up.

So bandwidth doesn't matter, then it does, then it doesn't? If druck's
efforts are a success, which I truly hope they are, then we'll all be
saved time and sanity.

B.

druck

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Oct 27, 2009, 4:33:58 AM10/27/09
to
Rob Kendrick wrote:
> So bandwidth doesn't matter, then it does, then it doesn't?

I does matter, I'm waiting for the phone line to be installed at my new
house and in the mean time being drip fed via a 3G (2.5 at best dongle).
The lack of snipping round here these days is really very obvious.

Everyone has been here more than long enough to know the way things are
supposed to be done, and the reasons why they are done that way. But
some people are just too bone headed to take friendly advice, and want
to turn everything in to an endless argument.

---druck

Message has been deleted

Chris Hall

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Oct 27, 2009, 7:04:48 AM10/27/09
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In message <50b0b89d8...@onetel.net.uk.invalid>
"Barry Allen (news)" <evan...@onetel.net.uk.invalid>
wrote:

> In article <4AE6B076...@druck.org.uk>, druck <ne...@druck.org.uk>


> wrote:
>> But some people are just too bone headed to take friendly advice,
>> and want to turn everything in to an endless argument.

> Perhaps if it really was 'FRIENDLY' advice with a bit of diplomatic
> language thrown in, then it wouldn't turn into an endless argument.

> I think that you need to go to a different charm school. Which one do
> you go to now? Is it the notorious Bolton Charm School?

> If you think that you could give your advice to a stranger down at the
> local pub without getting your nose bent in reply, then your advice is
> probably OK and friendly. If not, then it may be better to modify the
> language?

> Just friendly advice.....
There's no easy way to tell that someone's from 'oop North' in written
text as you don't get the Northern accent. Northerners are blunt.
Perhaps a special 'Northern' font could be used... ?


--
Chris Hall <ch...@svrsig.org>

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