Why Do I Even Try?

A customer asked me for help with a Makefile. I looked it over and spotted the problem: one of the object files wasn't being linked into his executable. The fix required adding the name of the object file to the list of dependencies for the executables, so that the object file will get built, and then adding it to the link command as well, so that it will get linked into the executable.

Now I've dealt with this customer many times in the past and I know that he's lousy at reading for content. He basically skims everything and, if you're lucky, will retain either the first or last paragraph of your email. I've gotten into the habit with him of never bringing up more than one point per email because any more than that and he'll ignore the rest.

So I very carefully wrote out an example of the changes he would have to make and then even included a final paragraph warning him that there were two changes to be made, one in each of the first two lines of the example.

Today I got an email from him saying that the changes didn't work. When I looked at his edits I saw that he'd only make one of the two changes.

Really. Why do I even bother?