If, in response to an explanation why something is a great idea, you get the response: "Why would you ever want to ...", this might be a sign that you and the person you're talking with have different goals and/or expectations.

''This expression has occurred frequently in my twenty years in "leading edge" commercial software. Software projects and systems and people are widely different, more than I for one ever dreamt of in earlier days. The number of programming languages and libraries, and analysis and design patterns our brains can hold together at any time is limited and may well already be in terminal decline in my case. WhyWouldYouEverWantTo is sometimes worse than a RhetoricalQuestion. It can be an expression of jaundiced frustration at my own finiteness and impatience with the genuine importance of what others are involved in. At moments like these I try to remember WinstonChurchill's GlassEyeAdvice. -- RichardDrake''


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An example from PowerOfPlainText, about binary files:

A: "Your other tools - grep, sed, awk, perl, emacs, etc. - can't be
used to manipulate them."

B: "WhyWouldYouEverWantTo do this?"

''Does this show how you think about people that do not blindly idolize Unix?''

I didn't claim the Unix way is better. It's just that the WhyWouldYouEverWantTo reaction made me (again) aware of the cultural differences that exist.

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An example from the board game, Monopoly: getting stuck in Jail is bad because it prevents you from being active in the game - buying up properties, collecting 200 pounds, etc. You want to throw a double-6, or use a GetOutOfJailFree card, as quickly as possible. However, there is a rule which says that after 3 turns you are '''forced''' out, whatever you throw and whether you want to or not. This rule is hard for beginners to understand. Why would you ever want to stay in jail?

Enlightenment comes later in the game, when all ten properties following the "Jail" square are owned by hostile players and fully built up with hotels. ''The longer you stay in jail, the less rent you have to pay.''

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Excellent observation. I have this feeling a lot when talking with XP people.