"Well, I just always use whatever is best for the situation." or "I'm more pragmatic than that" or "you're just a zealot"
Lame. And useless. All those statements are is an admission that you're tired of arguing and you refuse to change your mind. Arguments, assuming that they stay cordial of course, are valuable. We're a young profession that's still finding its way. Any idea that we have about the best way to write software should be challenged (see Roy on TypeMock, DI, and testability today because TypeMock is a subject that I've had to reevaluate *my* opinion on). What is the best thing for that situation? Don't you think that maybe the other guy with the differing opinion thinks that *his* approach is pragmatic? Why does he think his approach *is* good? "A" is what you know, but is "B" potentially a better way for that situation? And if you're really right, shouldn't it be relatively easy to defend your position? You'll never know any of this stuff if you just shut down and disengage. Even if you still end up believing that the way you do it now is better, at least you've been forced to reconsider that way.
