[SanFrancisco]

Well, I have been lurking in the background to see if there is any new info on the Pearl, since that is the main reason I joined BB Forums. I also visited this thread and read with interest some of the additional posts. Guess I'll explain a few things.

First of all, as to my posting style, being personal and detailed, that comes from two things that I do in life, try cases and teach college students.

In trying cases, I have to pay attention to the rules of evidence while being able to argue to a jury why they should find in my favor. The trial process requires I get the evidence in [meaning getting it "approved" by the Judge] and to put things in a way that the jury can understand. The jury also has to like everyone involved, including me, to find in our favor.

Teaching boring law subjects requires that I be creative and interesting so that 1) the students learn; and 2) the students stay awake and interested.

Some methods I use to keep everyone awake, to understand abstract concepts and remain interested are to "get personal" by telling stories, providing real life examples, and to inject some humor into the presentation. Use of these techniques requires getting a feel for the audience and mastering one's sense of timing. [Jay Leno, David Letterman and other late night hosts will attest to this].

On these Forums [or anywhere on the Net] I cannot abandon that which has been used in court and the classroom. For example, when there was that 8100 thread started by Member "Kxxx" about the upcoming T-Mo update, I could have simply said "I'm going to wait and see what others report before I install it, if I do at all." In fact, according to Kxxx's condescending and rude response, that is what he said I should have said.

But from training and experience [and rote] I explained why I was not going to immediately install the update, as Krad was suggesting everyone should do. In my post I shared my knowledge from what I have read over the years, that people should not install Windows updates immediately on release, etc. I also explained that I was not planning on installing Windows Vista when it comes out.

I think detailed posts that lay a foundation for a position, suggestion or statement is far better than making flippant, rude, insulting, crude or harsh remarks like those made by some Members in response to some of my posts.

As to my disclosure of personal information in my posts, I don't see where that is weird or irresponsible. Besides, I think that hiding behind the Net is part of the problem with these forums.

For example, I find it interesting that all the rude, crude, and insulting comments/posts on these Forums come from Members who don't have any personal information in their profiles. These Members obviously would not be so reckless if they were not assured of complete anonymity when acting like trailer trash SFB's.

Moreover, sometimes the best way to respond to a complaint or expression of grief/depression is to cite personal examples of similar events, either to commiserate with the Member or otherwise help the Member deal with their own tragedy/problem.

For example, when that one Member posted that his "dog ate his Pearl" another Member responded that he should kill the dog [hopefully joking, but a joke in bad taste]. I recounted how my cat destroyed a valuable chair. Why did I say that? So to remind the Member that we still love our pets despite the damage they cause.

All Member Kxxx could do in response to this post was comment how he does not read my posts, how he is sick of hearing my personal stories and opine that I "must be old." I don't know why my post should have bothered him since the Member's thread was simply "ranting" that his dog chewed up his Pearl. I'm not sure what kind of post Kxxx would have considered staying on topic in that kind of thread.

Well that's all. If you have read this far, hats off to you. I did not really expect you to read all this. I was more explaining myself to myself.