>>Why? My opinion, as I previously stated, is based on a significant amount of experience. You and I debating the issue will resolve nothing. There are no facts that you can bring to bear that will change my opinion, and I have given already the basis for it, which, you don't accept.

Tamar,

>I think what Jim was saying is that opinions are, necessarily, subjective and, thus, open to changing based on new experiences. Facts, otoh, are truths, which no amount of discussion or experience will change.

Oh certainly. Wouldn't debate that point for a second. I would say, however, that an opinion, grounded on significant, personal experience is somewhat different. It's usually based on overwhelming evidence that the opinion is, indeed close enough to fact (for the individual) that it is treated as such.

Naturally, in an instance like this, there are a number of external factors that come into play. For example, some people may have a harder time than others adopting to a new language or paradigm. For them, a forum like this or CServe can be of value as not only a help source, but a support group as well.

Given, however, that I'm who I am, and don't seem to have as hard a time learning a new language, it is difficult for me to relate. I can only express that which I know.

>In fact, isn't the whole point of discussions like these for people to share the experiences that have formed their opinions with the goal of influencing the opinions of others? (Actually, frequently, the participants know they won't change the other participants' opinions, but aim to influence the lurkers.)
>
Oh sure. Here, however, I strongly sense that some of the underlying reasoning as to why learning another language would be terribly difficult was based pure and simply on FUD and not much more.