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From: jeand@ihlpg.UUCP (AMBAR)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Re: Showing Off (Athletics VS Intell
Message-ID: <830@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Jul-85 11:50:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.830
Posted: Fri Jul 12 11:50:10 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jul-85 13:33:09 EDT
References: <1030@trwatf.UUCP> <33100024@ISM780.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 27

> "Like English to Russian?"          "Sea?  Do you work in Atlantis?"  Sigh.
> 	-- and so on... --
> 
> How can I answer this without making them feel like they are stupid, but
							       ^^^^^^
I think the trick is more in your voice and attitude than your actual
wording.  If they don't understand 'tech-ese' then you're going to have to 
translate it into plain English.  I would probably do something like this:
"There are different computer languages, just like there are different
human languages, and I translate programs from one to the other."
Now, I know I can get away with this without sounding as though I'm talking 
to a child.  I also know some people who can't.  The advantage of this approach
is that if they're interested in more details, they can ask--and if they're not,
you haven't scared them off.

> also avoiding the path "It's a very technical job, you wouldn't understand
> without a longwinded and boring discussion"?
> (--Darryl Richman, INTERACTIVE Systems Corp.

PS.  What's wrong with the English/Russian analogy?

-- 
					AMBAR
                    	{the known universe}!ihnp4!ihlpg!jeand

"To those who love it is given to hear
 Music too high for the human ear." 	--Bruce Cockburn