Ad-Hominem Attacks??

Ad-Hominem Attacks??

[Ted Holden]

From:  Michael Feldman
Organization: The George Washington University, Washington D.C.


>Oh, Lord, here we go again. Ted, to the extent that your postings make good
>technical points in unemotional language, they are very interesting. I have
>no problem with their being controversial; newsgroups are fine for
>controversy. To the extent that you continue to insult people and resort
>to ad hominem attacks, your postings are not only tiresome but diminish
>your credibility to the vanishing point. People who disagree with your
>theories (or with whose theories you disagree) are not necessarily stupid
or "misguided." They do not hold a monopoly on the truth; neither do you.

>PLEASE stop using the newsgroup as a platform for emotional attacks. 
>Try to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, OK?

I honestly do not know of a more polite way to phrase what I intended to
say.  Do you actually regard the word "misled" as an emotional or ad-
hominem attack of some sort?  The only thing I could think of which
would be any more polite would be simply to state that the gentlemen 
were correct in their errors.  

I am basically an ordinary American businessman who simply reads more
than most;  I am not a top computer scientist such as one finds at
AT&T.   My only claim to fame in programming would be the little
polyphonic VMUSIC program on PC BBSs (which was supposedly impossible).
I speak languages other than English (Russian and German) and am, as
stated, slightly better read than most of my kinsmen, but my
sensibilities and tastes are, in many ways, still those of an ordinary 
American, possibly even a red-neck.  When I take a notion to engage in
ad-hominem attacks, it is generally a great deal more noticeable than
using the word "misled" or "misguided".

Ted Holden
HTE

Re: Ad-Hominem Attacks??

[Pat Rogers]

In article <20106@grebyn.com>, ted@grebyn.com (Ted Holden) writes:
> 
> I am basically an ordinary American businessman who simply reads more
> than most;  I am not a top computer scientist such as one finds at
> AT&T.   My only claim to fame in programming would be the little
> polyphonic VMUSIC program on PC BBSs (which was supposedly impossible).


Well, that exaplains a great deal, doesn't it?  So much for being
a "peer of C.A.R. Hoare". 

Actually, it occurs to me that this whole "Ted" persona must be a
giant fabrication.  A practical joke, perhaps, by Karl Nyberg
(notice the net address used).  Nobody could be _this_
preposterous!  I have this mental picture of Karl pulling our
collective leg, sitting at his terminal wearing a Bozo mask so we
won't recognize him.  

Karl, is that you?!?


P Rogers
Software Arts & Sciences
"The opinions expressed ARE the those of the company."

(Yes, Karl is a friend of mine.)