GAH! SMITEY SMITEY SMITE SMITE

[erastes]

Why don't people READ?  On the first page - nay - the first LINE of the Erotic Authors Association website it says:

Join the EAA

The linked text says: Membership is free. Please e-mail the EAA director, Erastes after reading the information below.

(blah blah with what you need to send in that email)

And I've had three emails today with "Please can you let me know how to join?"

GRALSDKJFL;ASDJFLSDJF;LSADJFL;SKDFJKL;ASDFJKL;SDFJLK;SDJFLK;SDJF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I'll put some small print up on the bottom of that page:

Anyone who emails The Director with stupid emails will be deemed too dim to join, and will get a badge confirming this.

What?  WHAT?!  I did promise whips, didn't I?

Comments

[raphinou.livejournal.com]

why don't you just tell them--politely, of course--that eaa membership is reserved only for literate people and that you will be pleased to entertain their membership applications once they have demonstrated literacy at the appropriate reading level?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

So tempted...!

[quatorze.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should rephrase that: "Please read the instructions below, and make sure to include all the requested information in your e-mail to the EAA director."

(this is something I've learned when working for years with documentation and instructions: assume that the readers are stupid and lazy, and if something needs to be done in a certain order, make sure to give the information in that order)

[aunty_marion]

Oh, so true. I worked in a job once compiling a directory of librarians. And you'd be positively amazed by the number of librarians, supposedly educated people, who are incapable of filling in a clearly-worded form. Well, no, perhaps you wouldn't.

Later on in that job I worked on another directory, containing details of CD-ROMs (this was back when they were a New Thing), and one question on the form asked for the source of the information (on the CD-ROM); at least one in ten came back with that section completed with the name of the person filling in the form...

[quatorze.livejournal.com]

Oh, I can believe quite a lot when it comes to how dumb people can be!

My theory is that when people are reading something, their brain is looking for the first thing that can be considered a "command" - and when it finds that command, it stops processing what comes after and instead makes the person leap into action.

That's why I'm a stickler for order, and when coworkers bring me their "raw stuff" for finalizing, I keep harassing them about whether things really, really happen in the described sequence? Surely they haven't been cutting corners anywhere? Shouldn't things be tweaked around just a little to make extra sure that everybody can be expected to accomplish the task with success?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

You are right - looking at the page again, it says "Email erastes" andthen goes on, but they've already stopped thinking and have pressed the email link.

What I'll do is change the link to send them to the intructions....

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

Argh! I have the same thing going on with students!

I make a big, fat announcement, with the exact dates, the room, the other teacher who does the alternative course - everything. And additionally, it's written in their course plan as well. Plus, there is a list where they can sign to take the course.

And what do they do? The email me and ask about the dates, the room, the enlistment procedure, everything! And I don't get paid for answering all those stupid emails...

I wonder if one day, someone will ask me how and when to brush their teeth.

*sighs*

[raphinou.livejournal.com]

so, how and when should i brush my teeth?

:P

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

Aha! You've made my day!

*snorts tea*

From red to white, at least twice a day. In the morning to make others happy, in the evening to make your teeth happy.

:-D

And when you're finished: spit, don't swallow. No matter what you do on other occasions. *g*

[schmoo999.livejournal.com]

People never read and follow directions anymore...

:P

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*stabbity*

Stab.

Stab.

*smooshes you*

[katjak.livejournal.com]

Like my BF' grandmother used to say to him when he was little... "It is about time for you to accept the fact that other people will always be stupider than you are." ;-)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I just had a shorter fuse these days, I think.

*fumes *

[vinnie-tesla.livejournal.com]

Hey, they're writers. Nobody said they could read.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

So true...

Like I said to gehayi earlier, it's like one of those trick exam questions:

"Read the entire paper before starting," then goes on to tell them to write their name, their dogs birthday, all sorts of stupid stuff, and then right at the bottom it says, "ignore all the above"

[beauty-seeker.livejournal.com]

sweetheart, if you don't let all the dumb people join, you'll have a very very small group ;)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*snorts*

Wicked you!

[hell-san.livejournal.com]

>< what can i say - the world is filled with spoons heh