* * * * *
                                        
                         The negligence correspondence
                                        
I must be speaking Elbonian [1] or something.

Dropped in my lap is the configuration of a router and firewall for a
customer site. The firewall, no problem there (well, except for modprobe
being completely borked on the firewall and spending an hour or so trying to
untable the Linux kernel module dependencies by hand to get iptables working,
but that's a different issue). No, I'm trying to figure out what IP (Internet
Protocol) addresses I can use for this.

“What we've got here is … failure to communicate, (Cool Hand Luke) [2]” as
the Captain of Road Prison 36 says.

And this isn't a failure between myself and Dan the Network engineer here—no,
it's between myself, Dan, Smirk and G. Smirk told me, in the immortal words
of Captain Picard, “Make it so.” Both Dan the Network engineer and G are
giving me advice on how to setup the network, but they have completely
different worldviews. And the terminology I know isn't the terminology that
Dan or G uses (for instance, Dan uses “loopback address” to mean any IP
address bound to a router on the loopback device, not just 127.0.0.1, which
is a usage I, a programmer who's done networking programming, is not used
to).

It's been rather frustrating asking (through email) what seems to me a
straightforward question and getting an answer back that has nothing to do
with what I asked. Or frustrating giving some information only to get a reply
back asking for the information which was in the email I sent (and quoted, in
full, back to me).

Perhaps I would be understood better if I translate what I want through
Babelfish [3] a few dozen times:

> I certainly speak Elbonian [4] or something.
> 
> Drop in a mine knee department router and firewall disposition for consumer
> locus. The firewall, does not have question there (to be very good, is
> completely borked and passed for a hour except modprobe in firewall or so
> attempts to untable Linux kind module dependency obtains the iptables
> operation with hand, but that is an other question). No, I try to
> extrapolate any IP address I can use for this.
> 
> “any we have here are … the negligence correspondence,” like go the same
> way jail 36 captains to say.
> 
> And this is not the defeat and Dan network Engineer here does not have
> between I, it is in I, between Dan, Smirk and G. Smirk tells me, in Captain
> Picard immortal word, “makes it so.” Engineer Dan network and G raise me to
> suggest how about establishes the network, but they have completely
> different worldviews. And I knew the terminology is not Dan or the G use
> terminology (for example, Dan uses “to return delivers address” to mean any
> IP address certainly is returning to a router delivers equipment, not only
> 127.0.0.1, is usage I, is programmer which completes network programming,
> is not used).
> 
> It rather frustrates the request (through email) any and lets to an I
> direct question with the answer to return to any to have nothing to do with
> as if I to ask. Or which frustrated provides some information have to
> arrive request for reply information is I has delivered in the email (and
> has quoted, in was full, returns to me).
> 
> Perhaps I can understand well if I translate any me to want to pass
> Babelfish [5] several 12:
> 
> [The translation reduces translation.]
> 
> Yea, good.
> 

Yea, much better.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbonia
[2] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061512/
[3] http://babelfish.altavista.com/
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbonia
[5] http://babelfish.altavista.com/

Email author at sean@conman.org

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