Comments on: Bott vs Cringely and My Lawyer Newsome Story

By: Kent

Kent — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 04:34:00 +0000

My point was not so much that he said Dr. as it was that he did not use his first name.He said (and I am making up the name, because I don’t remember it) “Hello, I’m Dr. Smith,” not “Hello, I’m Dr. John Smith.”Had I been in his office, that would have been fine. But it struck me as odd in the context in which it occurred.It wasn’t that big of a deal, but I found his reaction to me introducing myself in an identical manner interesting. So I mentioned it as part of my rambling (Sam has a point) post about names.

By: Warren

Warren — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 02:35:00 +0000

Hi Kent,I think that there are appropriate times to use ones title when introducing ones self, and I agree that most social situations are not.That being said, I have never called a doctors office, regardless of whether or not he was a close friend or professional colleague and not addressed him to his staff by “doctor”. Conversly, if one of my patients introduces them selves by their first name, I respond likewise.Your Father-in lawDr. Spielman

By: Dwight Silverman

Dwight Silverman — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 04:40:00 +0000

Kent:Robert X. Cringely is the standing pseudonym of the tech-industry gossip column at InfoWorld. During the late 80s to mid-90s, Mark Stephens held that job. While there, he did some other work under that nom de plume, and when he left, he wanted to keep it. That resulted in a big legal battle that wound up in a settlement in which there are TWO Cringelys... Stephens and whoever is doing the job at InfoWorld. Cringely is best known to the masses as the author of Accidental Empires, a pretty comphrehensive history of the PC industry, which was later made into a series on PBS called Triumph of the Nerds. That's how Stephens/Cringely came to be writing a column on the PBS Web site.

By: RichardQuerin

RichardQuerin — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 02:55:00 +0000

Kent,I can relate directly to the last bit about being introduced to Dr. So and So. One of our best friends became a doctor. When calling him at work to arrange a dinner out, my wife told me that I should ask for “Dr.” SoAndSo, but I insisted on asking for him by first name. We’ve been friends since 10th grade. He was the best man at my wedding. I’m not going to give him any title. He knows I respect what he does, calling him by his first name won’t make him doubt that. This kind of stuff just gets my goat. Professional Engineer Richard

By: Sam

Sam — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:24:00 +0000

This post rambles.