Author: Hans Gerber
Date: 14:18:12 06/21/00
Go up one level in this thread
On June 21, 2000 at 12:34:13, Pete R. wrote: >On June 20, 2000 at 06:07:35, Hans Gerber wrote: > >>On June 19, 2000 at 19:12:55, Pete R. wrote: >> >>>On June 19, 2000 at 18:11:34, Hans Gerber wrote: >>> >>>>On June 19, 2000 at 08:51:57, Ralf Elvsén wrote: >>>> >>>>>On June 19, 2000 at 08:01:43, Hans Gerber wrote: >>>>> >>>>>>On June 18, 2000 at 22:28:55, Pete R. wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>>I went to their site to check out the live Frankfurt games, but couldn't seem to >>>>>>>get anything actually moving other than the clocks. So I decided to check out >>>>>>>the playing zone there. Lame! Not only is it web-based as opposed to having a >>>>>>>real playing client, but banner ads pop up *during* games. What idiot thought >>>>>>>this up? >>>>>> >>>>>>snip >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>It is apparently quite normal to call Kasparov or anyone out of his staff >>>>>>__idiot__ here in this CCC. >>>>>> >>>>>>This is not consistant with the so-called moderation politics. But it reveils >>>>>>the general attitude of computerchess people towards real chessplayers. More so >>>>>>if it's coming along under anonymity. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>Hans Gerber >>>>> >>>>>I see his comments as directed towards kasparovchess.com in general. >>>>>It has nothing to do with Kasparov. We must be allowed to call a company >>>>>"idiotic" >>>> >>>> >>>>Mr. Pete R. wrote "idiot" not "idiotic". >>> >>>Oh please, there is no difference. To ask what idiot at the company is >>>responsible is identical to simply saying it is an idiotic decision by the >>>company. It is a figure of speech, and the meaning is exactly the same. You >>>clearly assumed another "computer chess enthusiast" was bashing a great player, >>>and you were mistaken. It is not worth discussing further. >> >>Usually it is not a good habit if the one who did it suddenly declared that it >>wasn't worth the discussion. If you happen to be on the wrong side it could look >>different. >> >>My intention was not to stir the attention of the moderators to possibly >>_remove_ your initial post but to show that it would have been a good thing if >>they, the moderators, had said that the use of such a strong wording would not >>be acceptable in this forum. > >And I think you are being less than straightforward here. You have made it very >clear by your words that you took offense at my post because you have some >general issue with "computerchess people" having the nerve to say anything about >"real" chessplayers. This was not the intent of my post, my post questions the >business practices of club kasparov, yet you chose to use it as a general >springboard for complaint. If this makes you happy, so be it, but do not tell >me what the meaning of my post was. > >>My intention was to explain that 'idiot' is sort of four-letter-word too. At >>least when it appeared in such a good site here. > >And I believe you took offense not because of the word, but because "idiot" and >"Kasparov" appeared in the same post, even though the title of the post made >perfectly clear that I was talking about kasparovchess.com. Note the use of the >word "they" in the title. I did not ask what Kasparov was smoking, did I? > > >>As to your lesson in English I decided to deny your explanation. You asked >>concretely for "the idiot" who was responsable for... If you had written "it is >>idiotic what they did there" it would have been a much more unpersonal >>reflection. If however in English that should be absolutely identical then you >>might please excuse me because I am not a natural born speaker of the English >>language. > >I do excuse you, since I think to any native English speaker it is a well-known >figure of speech and the two phrases have equivalent meanings. Furthermore the >title of my message used the word "they", so I established the context that I am >clearly not singling anyone out as "the" idiot. I do not believe Kasparov is an >idiot, even in things not relating to chess. Sportsmanship is a different >matter, but that is another discussion. ;) I have to thank you for your patience with me as a foreigner. But why talking about language if I could directly ask you who is resposable in the latest line if you look at kasparov.com? Do you agree with me that at least a little responsability falls on Kasparov himself? Please believe me that I judged only about the notion 'idiot' and that I do not even actually know what technical details you were talking about. Now please let me insist. Do you personally believe that you had gone away thus simple if you had written absolutely the same wording e.g. about the website of Mr. Schroeder or the ICC activities of Crafty or of its programmer? Let me frankly add the point of my concern. If I were a GM or Kasparov himself and I would enter this famous CCC where some of the most famous programmers communicate and I would read the language when it comes to chessplayers, their behavior and their sites, then I would become a bit angry if later this year some of the same programmers would contact me, asking for a possible match or just some information about a game of chess. My main point is why, why does it seem justified to treat chessplayers, even the best ones, this way? I can't see the purpose. On the other hand I do not favor sort of adoration in form of religious ceremonies either. I am just asking for a little more of respect, that's all. Finally, I want to say that it would be wrong if you think that all these ideas appeared after and through your mentioned posting alone. Not at all. But it was, as you supposed, the given occasion. I am hopeful that the younger members for all do understand that a minimum of respect allows you to come much easier to independant conclusions. Whereas all sort of restrictions, one-eyed-ness or simply prejudices may cause bad influences on your judgement. So, perhaps my false interpretation of your use of the word 'idiot' had a very fruitful meaning in the end. Hans Gerber
This page took 0 seconds to execute
Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700
Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.