When I was in my late teens, I learned a pointed lesson on soft skills. I was trying to add a class that was already full. A good friend knew the professor well and offered to help. At the end of the first class, I joined the long line of students who hoped to add the class. Like many people before me, I was told no. When the other students had left, the professor chatted with my friend. When my friend said they had hoped I could add the class, the professor happily signed my add form. Before handing it back to me, the professor said, “The next time you want special treatment, come and see me in my office. If you ask me for a favor in front of other students, I have to say no.”
I often see people on this forum publicly asking script creators for copies of scripts which are no longer available online. In many cases, these scripts have been sold to a content hosting company (for example SLR). Asking the script creator to violate their contract with the hosting site is rude. It’s akin to saying, “Hey. I know this company pays you lots of money, but would you consider putting that all at risk for $5?” This isn’t like when I used to slip my friends a free desert when I worked fast food. In many cases, this is real money.
So, if you’re going to ask for special treatment, do it in private. The odds are very, very good they are going to say no. But, if you publicly post your request, they are definitely going to say no because you have demonstrated that you don’t understand the need to keep things confidential.
How, when, and where you ask for things is important.
end rant
