[gruez]

>Surely there must have been a better way for you to handle this situation.

The junior was in the wrong, so I think you'd agree that a correction is in order. Replying-all is one way to do such a correction. The alternative would be to force him to issue a retraction himself.

[saagarjha]

There's no need to shame people who are wrong.

[kelnos]

True. If the junior dev was simply wrong, but polite about it, it might (and should) have ended without a shaming.

While there is perhaps no need to shame someone who is acting in a shameful way, I find it hard to criticize someone for doing so. Sometimes an aggressive statement deserves an aggressive response.

[shantly]

If they're trying to shame or chastise others, while being wrong, seems fair to me. Then again, I subscribe to the "play stupid games, win stupid prizes" school of dickish behavior correction.

Or, to defer to the ever-wise Gods of the Copybook Headings:

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander".

[scarejunba]

I've noticed that if you stay strictly professional, folks think higher of you and they feel shame for having done this. You also appear way wiser and likeable - all of which gives you more clout. And if you're more often right than your peers, everyone benefits by your having more clout.

I've been in this situation before and I've found this approach beneficial.

[thaumasiotes]

http://www.basicinstructions.net/basic-instructions/2012/11/...

[arethuza]

"I've noticed that if you stay strictly professional, folks think higher of you and they feel shame for having done this."

Some do, some think it is a sign of weakness and start behaving even more unreasonably.

[Moru]

And since the boss knows you are right because of your previous behaviour, all you need to do is ask the boss to take care of the disturbing element if it continues.

[arethuza]

That's making a lot of assumptions about your 'boss'.

[blacksmith_tb]

Ah, but that's the kinder, gentler version of "what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander"[1] which seems even more apropos.

1: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/what%27s_sauce_for_the_goose_...

[gamblor956]

Normally that would be true.

But it's necessary to shame people who work the trade desks, or else they will never learn.

[saagarjha]

I honestly think people learn better if you don't shame them.

[nosianu]

I honestly think it depends on the entire context including the people and all this generalization is useless and a waste of precious Internet bits.

[jan6]

not unless they're being dicks about it, like in this example ;)