11/10   When working in lab, are there things people do that make you
        really go crazy and make it difficult for you to work?  Do you
        do anything about it?
        \_ Like what? Is it something that just pisses you off? Move to
           another machine/room. Something that's likely to piss others off
           as well? Ask them to stop doing it.
        \_ Go home and work on your PC from there.
           \_ Indeed.  I did this in 1996 with a 486 w 16MB ram.  Installed
              Linux and did all my upper-division projects from there. Compiles
              were tons faster than on the HP's, and I didn't have to deal with
              the crap in the labs.
              \_ 'crap in the labs' was sometimes literal... one time someone
                  brought in their dog who left a smelly little present for
                  us hardworking undergrads in the corner of 273 soda. It's
                  a great thing to think about when I get frustrated at work
                  and start getting nostalgic for the good old days when I
                  was back in school.
        \_ Yeah when the English majors would take over 4 or 5 machines to
           play netrek the night before a big project was due and made lots of
           little whiney noises when asked to leave.  while (1) fork();
        \_ Loud conversations, especially in foriegn languages, annoyed me
           (if you're discussing the project, do it in English so other people
            can join in - if not, talk quietly so you don't disturb everyone
            else).  -alum
            \_ Just because you can't spell in English or speak anything
               ..."foreign languages"
            \_ Some people communicate better in non-English languages.
               If you are dying to join in, just ask.  Most people would be
               willing to accommodate your disability.
                        \_ Do you speak Korean, Japanese, Russian, and
                           Vietnamese?  If not, then relying on English
                           to be a common language is not a disability,
                           but a requirement.
                           \_ If you don't speak a language, you have a
                              disability in that language.  That English
                              is a useful common language does not mean
                              knowing another language is not useful and
                              an "ability".
 ----------------------------/
/
From WordNet (r) 1.6 [wn]:

  disability
         n : the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of
                    physical or mental unfitness [syn: {disablement}, {handicap}
                                {impairment}]
                \_ Sure, but the first use of "disability" above is a wordplay
                   and a slight, which actually showed mastery of the language.
                   and a slight, which actually shows mastery of the language.

                \_ I'll help you: either 1) talk quietly or 2) talk in English
                   so you're being helpful but 3) don't babble LOUDLY in some
                   foreign language: it's annoying.  That help you sort it out?
                   \_ No it doesn't.  People talking loudly is annoying, no
                      matter what language they are speaking.  What exactly is
                      your problem with non-English languages?!
                        \_ It sounds like noise, and nothing else. At least loud
                           English conversation makes sense. Loud foreign
                           conversations don't. -not the guy from above
                           \_ For me, noise is better than loud
                              conversations which I understand but are
                              not interested in.
                              \_ Yes but the topic was what we each find really
                                 annoying in the labs.  Some find foreigners
                                 speaking loudly annoying, some find really
                                 loud English annoying, but I think just about
                                 everyone finds really loud people in the lab
                                 \_ Yes, but the guy above is essentially
                                 annoying at all times.
                                 \_ Yes, but the person above is essentially
                                    suggesting that English-speaking persons
                                    can talk loudly and annoyingly but non-
                                    English-speaking persons should keep
                                    quiet.
                                    \_ Maybe for them it's true.