I *hate* "why not just" as a reply.
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I *hate* "why not just" as a reply.
"Why not just do it this other way instead?"
It implies that the other way is faster, easier, or otherwise better, without actually providing any evidence to that effect.
The person who made the original proposal has to research what those advantages might be and see if they actually apply to the current situation. This is information that the replier supposedly already has.
If you know it's better, say why.
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I *hate* "why not just" as a reply.
"Why not just do it this other way instead?"
It implies that the other way is faster, easier, or otherwise better, without actually providing any evidence to that effect.
The person who made the original proposal has to research what those advantages might be and see if they actually apply to the current situation. This is information that the replier supposedly already has.
If you know it's better, say why.
@evan I've been trying to stamp out "Just" in my writing in general.
Replacing it with a less weasely word illuminates what you're implying e.g. do you mean "Why not simply..."
And then ask yourself is it really that *simple*?
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I *hate* "why not just" as a reply.
"Why not just do it this other way instead?"
It implies that the other way is faster, easier, or otherwise better, without actually providing any evidence to that effect.
The person who made the original proposal has to research what those advantages might be and see if they actually apply to the current situation. This is information that the replier supposedly already has.
If you know it's better, say why.
Like in my workshop: people says "Why you still use that miserable drill press and you don't buy a milling machine?", but nobody says "You filthy punk, I pity you! Here are $25000 to buy a decent milling machine."
I wouldn't be offended at all.
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I *hate* "why not just" as a reply.
"Why not just do it this other way instead?"
It implies that the other way is faster, easier, or otherwise better, without actually providing any evidence to that effect.
The person who made the original proposal has to research what those advantages might be and see if they actually apply to the current situation. This is information that the replier supposedly already has.
If you know it's better, say why.
I'm more inclined to start a take like this with "You've probably already examined and discarded this, but here's another way ..."
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@evan I've been trying to stamp out "Just" in my writing in general.
Replacing it with a less weasely word illuminates what you're implying e.g. do you mean "Why not simply..."
And then ask yourself is it really that *simple*?
-
I *hate* "why not just" as a reply.
"Why not just do it this other way instead?"
It implies that the other way is faster, easier, or otherwise better, without actually providing any evidence to that effect.
The person who made the original proposal has to research what those advantages might be and see if they actually apply to the current situation. This is information that the replier supposedly already has.
If you know it's better, say why.
@evan ill just say "ill personally just [insert thing here], [insert list of reasons why it works for me better than other things]", this way gives the suggestion but acknowledges different things work for different people, doesnt force them to even think about it, and if anyone else stumbles across and has a similar use case or wants to try for the list of reasons it works for me, they have that suggestion
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I *hate* "why not just" as a reply.
"Why not just do it this other way instead?"
It implies that the other way is faster, easier, or otherwise better, without actually providing any evidence to that effect.
The person who made the original proposal has to research what those advantages might be and see if they actually apply to the current situation. This is information that the replier supposedly already has.
If you know it's better, say why.
@evan Yes! One of my pet hates. First it assumes that the person you are talking to knows better, and actively chose not to do something your way. It also assumes that you know all of the constraints that the person has. And as you say it assumes that *your* way is better/easier/faster without providing evidence.
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@evan Yes! One of my pet hates. First it assumes that the person you are talking to knows better, and actively chose not to do something your way. It also assumes that you know all of the constraints that the person has. And as you say it assumes that *your* way is better/easier/faster without providing evidence.
@evan I like "did you consider X?" as a conversation starter. If they did, then it's an easy conversation - if they did not, that's an opportunity for you to share why you think it's a better approach. If it's not too late for them to change their mind - and if it's too late, what's the value of informing them that they had another option? Is the point of your inquiry to communicate "If this comes up again, you might consider..." or "You fool, you should have..."
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I *hate* "why not just" as a reply.
"Why not just do it this other way instead?"
It implies that the other way is faster, easier, or otherwise better, without actually providing any evidence to that effect.
The person who made the original proposal has to research what those advantages might be and see if they actually apply to the current situation. This is information that the replier supposedly already has.
If you know it's better, say why.
@evan Why not just follow the impulse of an ignorant person who has been aware of the problem for 90 seconds, rather than the carefully thought out plan of someone who has studied it extensively and thoroughly evaluated the complex ramifications?
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I *hate* "why not just" as a reply.
"Why not just do it this other way instead?"
It implies that the other way is faster, easier, or otherwise better, without actually providing any evidence to that effect.
The person who made the original proposal has to research what those advantages might be and see if they actually apply to the current situation. This is information that the replier supposedly already has.
If you know it's better, say why.
@evan I dislike this genre of questions too. I think the right category for it is a leading question. Which means that it is actually not a question, but an opinion packaged as if it was a question. Typically, people who pose questions like that are not really interested in the answer. So people like me, who live by the value that people who ask me something, all things being equal, I owe them an answer - we end up wasting a lot of time.
