Author: Rolf Tueschen
Date: 01:14:53 02/12/03
Go up one level in this thread
On February 12, 2003 at 00:38:32, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>Just a note that things seem to be working ok again, but it seems that a
>_bunch_ of messages were lost. The 64 bit thread is completely gone as best
>I can tell. I can't confirm what else was lost of course...
Bob,
I want to show you what went down for example. And as I said to me it seems
clear what was the background.
I can prove how a notable moderator ("Albert Silver") destroyed a very
interesting thread.
The data:
Peter Hegger opened the debate with his question:
"If comps are only 2500-2600 then..." (first message Feb 3!)
The first scandal (because by a notable programmer) was caused by "Peter Mc
Kenzie".
I had written a thesis:
"I still hold that in fierce [that adjective was already defined] tournament
practice comps would be 2400 at best."
Without even understanding the background of the debate Peter wrote a message
with a couple of _hundreds_ [why?] of "hahahaha...."
"Will Singleton" felt provoked by such a debating style.
I leave out dozens of steps before "Albert Silver" finally lost his control.
The poit was the following. I had proposed that our dissent might have been
object of language problems. Albert hat mentioned that he wouldn't talk in his
mother language.
Albert wrote:
-----------------------------------------------
"Suggesting I have linguistic difficulties and that I should seek help is the
epitome of pompousness FYI.
In any case I will follow your advice and seek local help to analyze what mental
deficiency caused me to enter this thread.
Albert
P.S. It never would have occurred to me that you would know more about Mecking's
repertoire or Darcy than myself. The current title of Absolute Brazilian
Champion is to be decided by match next month and I am the second of Darcy's
opponent, FM Ricardo Teixeira."
------------------------------
I think it's clear what Albert did. I called it character assassination:
Albert took my laguage point and changed it into 'mental definciency', as if I
had said that or implied it!
After I had called it character assassination "Uri Blass" tried to find a
solution, but he had also misunderstandings (I have the data but leave it out
here.)
Then Albert came back and called me "silly".
I said that a moderator should NOT violatet the charta of CCC and asked him to
apologize. Albert: "Dream on!" After Albert asked which point of the "charter" I
replied "Your next insult will show you. The next insult will be the end."
10 minnutes later the threads in question were gone.
The destroyed thread is very telling. At first some programmer goes into extreme
mode. Other feel free to do their job (Terry...). But the thread survived. Now
Albert begins his work [the method is well known from rgcc]. At first a lively
debate on topic. Then suddenly a twist into meta mode with ad hominem (makes no
sense talking to "you" etc.). And then suddenly, I couldn't believe my eyes,
Albert went on the wild side.
THe whole thread proved that I stayed on topic without the _slightest_
defamation. Open contempt and hatred came from programmers and moderators!
I think there is no need to explain why this bad appearance was kind of a
problem. But note I did never complain or such. (I had something else in mind.)
I don't know if the proposal is technically nonsense, but I wished that people
ivolved tried to reconstruct the nice thread and then the ugly parts could be
deleted. It's a shame that the work of so many people over a period of more than
a week should be gone!
NB this was a report and a proposal. No matter what the decisions might be, I am
out of the debate. I saw enough. Namely that specific opinions (on topic!) are a
problem. It is as if certain groups take offense by mere on topic opinions.
Namely hat comps were way weaker if once humans began to play real anti-comp. Of
course CC people don't like it if normal chess should be changed into "anti
computer chess", because then it became very clear that comps had a serious
Achilles' heel. That might influence the business-wanted delusion that comps are
on their way to beat the best human players. [And Bob, I can confirm you that I
do NOT dream of further little opening tricks. I am talking about long-range
strategies, you could not defend with your actual codes. Simply because such
strategies are NOT linked to simple concrete moves like h[3]6xg[4]5, what you
could forbid.]
It's a pity that even here in CCC (with a clear charta against personal
defamations) it is not possible to discuss every topic in a atmosphere of peace.
Rolf Tueschen
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