[svlug] help transfering data over 1394 cable

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Christian Einfeldt (einfeldt at gmail.com):

> It is worth remembering that the computers we use every day would
> have been considered supercomputers not too long ago. They are
> complex systems with many subsystems. I have 'conversational fluency'
> with some of these subsystems, but, in this case, i had stumbled into a
> new area with its own distinct vocabulary & concepts, and there are
> other volunteers who are waiting for me to hand them video to edit so
> that we can get on with the project. So, I am grateful to this list &
> Daniel G. in particular, for helping me to keep the ball rolling and not
> lose momentum.

Here's the big-picture way many of us think, on such matters:  We're
glad to help people learn the technical lore if they show signs of
initiative and willingness to learn, such that our effort is likely in
the future by those people sticking around, gaining expertise, and
helping others in the exact same way.  Helping people lacking that
mindset and inclination in our spare time becomes a much lower priority;
time and effort are a limited resource, and one must optimise.

And then there are people who basically don't really want to do that 
sort of learning, and who stress that they're in a hurry but don't have
time to learn new vocabulary and concepts, because others are waiting on
them.  These get easily classified as off the priority list entirely,
and land in the separate bin labelled "aspiriing consulting clients".

Now, it'd be really great if you could win professional consulting
services for free on short notice just by saying you're trying to
advance some worthy cause.  I'd love that; I have a number of worthy
causes in mind, myself.  Unfortunately, the universe doesn't seem to
work that way.