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Comment by jasallen | Hacker News Reader

For what it's worth, my opinion is that Jeff was replying to Shanley with what he considered to be a better approach to the topic. I think the lack of attribution was an oversight, and I don't think anything in Jeff's post "plagiarizes" or comes close to it.

I also find Shanley's demeanor extremely rude, off-putting and counterproductive to a discussion on any topic.

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Except: https://twitter.com/SaraJChipps/status/459775964831293440

I'm not sure Jeff's lack of attribution was an oversight since there's a pattern of behavior there. His earliest blogging didn't even have formatting differences between his comment and "quoted" parts, making it seem all his own. Some people stand on the shoulders of giants, but I often wonder if Jeff kicks giants in the shins and then stands on their backs. However, this isn't much (if any) of plagiarism of Shanley - other than the title.

In any case, while I also have a hard time with Shanley's demeanor, I do try to separate the emotion and personal manner from the good points. It can be hard sometimes, that's for sure

> I also find Shanley's demeanor extremely rude, off-putting and counterproductive to a discussion on any topic.

Linus Torvalds is even worse according to your definition of bad demeanor. Would you say that this helps or hurts his advocacy?

Hurts. Same with Steve Jobs. But those fellow are mostly revered despite their attitude, because of their accomplishments. I'd find it hard to believe anyone who claims that a bad demeanor helps one's cause, male or female.

We know who Linus Torvalds is in spite of his demeanor, not because of it. That's not true for Shanley.

rude, off-putting and counterproductive to a discussion on any topic.

Manners were an invention of the aristocracy.

my opinion is that Jeff was replying to Shanley with what he considered to be a better approach to the topic.

Except that Jeff can't even bring himself to acknowledge Shanley in his post while stealing her title and structure after making an ass out of himself on Twitter such that he deleted the (MLK-splaining, among other) tweets before writing that post. He's participating in bad faith and being I-know-better, but what does he care? He has no skin in this game; he's got his.

Manners are a solution to the problem "Disagreements escalate out of control and only come to harmful resolutions." There were expectations of civility long before there was a concept of an aristocracy.

No, it's the reinforcement of social order that predates manners.

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