Re: Indefinite pronouns [was:Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation?]

I think it is a modern English idiom, which I dislike as
well.  StackOverflow is full of questions starting like:
"How do you do this?" and "How do I do that?"  They are
informal ways of the more literary "How does one do
this?"  or "What is the way to do that?"

>
I have a different take here.  First the "your" of "your
strategy" reads as a definite pronoun, meaning it refers
specifically to Ben and not to some unknown other party.

>
And I am /sure/ it is intended in the general (indefinite)
sense, as is the `you' in Malcolm's two following sentences:

This sub-thread is certainly interesting, but it ultimately smacks of
people looking for ways to feel insulted.  Victimhood complex, and all that.

But, it makes me think that the problem is the basic paradigm of newsgroup
(i.e., online forum) communication being thought of as personalized.  I.e.,
as in direct person-to-person communication - as if it was being spoken in
a real room with real people (face-to-face).  The fact is, it is not.  It
would be better if we didn't think of it that way.  Rather, it should be
thought of as communication between the speaker and an anonymous void.
I.e., I'm not talking to you - I am talking to the anonymous void.
Everybody is.

Sort of like in the (US) House of Representatives - members are not ever
supposed to be talking to each other.  Rather, they are always speaking to
the void.

Like I am doing now.

This is also why it is good (And, yes, I know this goes against the CW) to
drop attributions, as I have done here.  Keep it anonymous.

--

First of all, I do not appreciate your playing stupid here at all.

- Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn -