From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 94 12:07:32 PDT
To: rah@shipwright.com (Robert Hettinga)
Subject: "But this is not really related to crypto, so...."
In-Reply-To: <199407191842.OAA19431@zork.tiac.net>
Message-ID: <199407191907.MAA01420@netcom4.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Since Robert Hettinga specifically addressed his post to me, I presume
he had me in mind when he wrote:

> (flashing philosophical credentials) :-P
> 
> 
> This GUT and P=NP thing smells awfully like scholastic bickering, don't ya
> think?

Look, I'm fed up with people giving advice on how such-and-such a
topic is "far afield" form what they want to hear about.

I'm especially unamused by folks (not Robert H., by the way) writing
up a long post and then ending with a statement to the effect "But
this is really not a crypto subject, so I suggest we not discuss this
further."!!

Translation: "I just wrote two pages on this, but I want the last
word."

I mean no insult by this...at least one of the frequent offenders here
I also count as my friend. Im just pointing out the absurdity of it.
If one thinks a topic is unimportant to the topics at hand, DON'T
COMMENT!

Equally absurd are all the anti-Detweiler posts, which simply gives
him the attention from us he craves so much. (Even this post will. But
then I'm not writing "Can't we just stop talking about Detweiler?"
posts, unless this is counted as such, ironically.)

What I'm saying is this:

* if a topic bores you, delete it, or filter it. 

* but don't moralize about it as being "off-topic," when it clearly is
"on-topic' to some people--the house of Cypherpunks has many rooms.

* especially don't be so nervy as to write a long rebuttal to some
post and then end with a suggestion that no further discussion is
needed.

That's what I have to say. And having said it, may I suggest that this
is not really a crypto issue, and hence could you all just take my
words as the last ones on this subject? (:-} for the smiley-impaired)

----Tim May


-- 
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Timothy C. May         | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,  
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