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Subject: Re: OT: On the CCC Charter

Author: Rolf Tueschen

Date: 17:20:19 10/11/02

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On October 11, 2002 at 19:02:53, José Carlos wrote:

>On October 11, 2002 at 18:22:16, Rolf Tueschen wrote:
>
>>On October 11, 2002 at 17:49:45, Bob Durrett wrote:
>>
>>>On October 11, 2002 at 14:29:32, José Carlos wrote:
>>>
>>>>  I'm sorry to bring this up, but I really need clarification, and I guess
>>>>others might as well, hence I post it here instead of asking the moderators by
>>>>email.
>>>>  From the charter:
>>>>
>>>>***
>>>>Once a member gains access to the message board, he may read all messages and
>>>>post new or response messages with the proviso that these new or response
>>>>messages:
>>>>
>>>>1 Are, within reason, on the topic of computer chess
>>>>2 Are not abusive in nature
>>>>3 Do not contain personal and/or libelous attacks on others
>>>>4 Are not flagrant commercial exhortations
>>>>5 Are not of questionable legal status.
>>>>***
>>>>
>>>>  I almost everyday see posts that, in my eyes, contradict points 1,2 and 3. I
>>>>won't use personal names here. I just want clarification on what is "abusive",
>>>>what is a "personal attack" and when off-topic is acceptable.
>>>>  I read direct insults like "idiotic". I read more sutile insults expressed in
>>>>the context of the sentences, like using the terms "unethical" or "criminal" in
>>>>fuzzy paragraphs. I read things like "you are..." or "you don't know shit
>>>>about...". I read sutile ways of saying "you have no idea" or "you can't think",
>>>>included in long and non clear sentences.
>>>>  I've fallen into these things a couple of times. And nothing has happened. I
>>>>guess it has to be a repetitive behaviour to deserve a reaction from the
>>>>moderation team. However, I see this repetitive behaviour all the time, and
>>>>still nothing happens.
>>>>  My questions: how should a post look like to be against the charter? What
>>>>should be the moderator's reaction to that?
>>>>
>>>>  Thanks in advance,
>>>>
>>>>  José C.
>>>
>>>Jose, people are human.  They tend to say what they are thinking before thinking
>>>too much about how their words will sound.  You are right that the bulletins
>>>could be more polite sometimes.  But, on the other hand, it is necessary to make
>>>allowances in the interests of getting ideas expressed.
>>>
>>>Let me draw an anology:
>>>
>>>Linguists say that word definitions are determined by usage.  All modern
>>>languages are "living" in the sense that word definitions change over time as
>>>usage changes.  This is extended to familiar word groupings as well.
>>>
>>>Well, the meanings of the words and phrases you have cited are also determined
>>>by usage here at CCC.  Certain words and phrases found here would be regarded as
>>>exceptionally rude in polite society.  But this is a closed group.  This group
>>>has developed it's own, sometimes odd, way of speaking.
>>>
>>>Please try not to be overly offended by such things here.  Remember that "what's
>>>acceptable" here at CCC is determined by usage.
>>>
>>>The definitions of "abusive in nature," "personal and/or libelous attacks,"
>>>"flagrant," and "questionable" are all determined in this closed group by usage.
>>> Once certain words or phrases come into common usage here at CCC, they no are
>>>no longer to be regarded as violating the rules.
>>>
>>>CCC lingo is like a new language.  You have to learn the language to communicate
>>>well at CCC.
>>>
>>>Bob D.
>>
>>Jose is arguing on certain vocabulary. And sure sometimes the words are the
>>problem. But often I see a completely normal lingual behaviour and still
>>offenses. And in special Jose was in my focus at times. I can explain that
>>phenomenon.
>>
>>The moment I post critical points against SSDF (just to give some example) by
>>force one or two special posters will react. Now if we forget about open
>>offenses, often the way how simple questions are presented is intellectually
>>insulting. At least my experience is that these questions' only meaning is the
>>confusing of the basic question. Instead of focussing the critical point such
>>questions veil the main problem. In university that would by definition be
>>regarded as disturbance or ad hominem or simply low levelled. But here such
>>questions are politically allowed. The bad side of it is the following:
>>sometimes when I discover such intentions I try to react on that level. But you
>>should never do that because then the moment has come for the one
>>who disturbed.
>>In the archives you can find a few such postings from Jose. It ended in a
>>typical bar exchange of unpleasent friendliness. Such dialogues: "What did you
>>say?" "But I didn't say something." "No, no, I could here you say ... and what
>>was that what you meant with it?" (etc) Such behaviour can become very
>>aggressive no matter that the wording still is absolutely polite. So that
>>becomes a poker game. I stayed to my intented innocence and Jose gave up in the
>>end. (If I had reacted in emotional ways - how I really felt - I surely would
>>have got a moderation warning.) But how deeply he felt unconfortable you
>>can see in his posting here.
>
>  I was determined not to answer your posts anymore, but I think I should not
>take that extreme position, so I'll try to explain what you say above.
>  This is off topic, and I apoplogyze for it, but I think it can be
>constructive.

This is a miracle somehow, because I had the same opinion about answering you
and so I commented only when Bob came into the debate. So far about my
orientation on specific persons. The truth is I'm not. But I saw that your wrote
some interesting analysis. Let's see if I can find some thoughts myself in
response.


>  You enjoy dicussing. No mater what the topic is, you enjoy discussing. You can
>defend one side, and then move to the other side, just for the fun of finding
>arguments for and against.

That is both interesting and not completely true. 1) I am interested in a
possibly complete, complex analysis of a problem 2) but I am not interested just
to say the opposite of yesterday's statements out of fun.



 >That's fine, essentially. I like it too, from time to
>time, but I just can't do it in english. I just can't express what I think.
>  When two people discuss for the fun of discussing, that's ok. But if I try do
>seriously defend some idea, and I find someone in front of me who is just
>playing,


I think I understand what you want to say. It seems to be very easy for me. You
are a chess programmer. CCC is basically the site where programmers could
discuss. I am not a programmer, so you think that I should behave myself and if
I wanted to play somehow, I could do it somewhere else but not in a debate with
you. So far that seems very reasonable. But is it also true? Is it the correct
description of my intentions? - I don't think so. In the case of SSDF I had the
strong feeling that you were the player who tried to disturb my serious points.
I didn't play. You can take a look again at the data. You can see yourself that
you came out of the blue and tried to show all my points wrong, more so,as pure
nonsense. But the point is that I know that my critic is justified.And as you
could read yesterday I also discussed it with Bob Hyatt. In a absolutely calm
atmosphere. Without offenses. And although we couldn't find consense. But that
doesn't interest me. I know that mypoints are correct.But let's see how you
continue.





> I prefer to stop there. No problem as long as the other one accepts I
>don't want to discuss anymore and forget about me. But that's not your case; you
>like to have the last word, you like to provoke, you always say something that
>has to be answered. And that's disturbing, under those circumstances. The bottom
>line is that I don't want to talk to you anymore, which is not good for you nor
>for me.

That is a point I can't understand. I see no problem if you decided not to
talkto me anymore.You can't influence me either positively nor negatively. Look,
wecan't expect that all people would talk with us. I write my posts as good as I
can and that's it. I would never change my opinion just to please a friend. If
he expected such he could never more be a friend. I do not write to win but to
find the right view.

I do notwantto have the final word.When I see dissense I like to clarify my
position. Perhaps that is then what gives you that impression.


>  Besides, you have the bad habit of speaking as if you knew everything, even if
>you're speaking of something you got no idea.


How do you know that? Could you give me soem examples, some, because you spoke
of an attitude. If you believe this, then you simply have not paid good enough
attention of my topics. When I post and where I keep myself out of it. But I had
the impression that you take yourself only so serious because you are a
programmer. And that must be wrong, because a programmer must not be someone
with a better knowledge in all parts of science. He could well be just a
specialized expert. I won't repeat the German term here. You surely would
misunderstand it.



> Again, this can be funny under
>some circumnstances, but not anyone wants to play with you. So sentences like
>"let me give you a lesson" can be offending in some cases, and ridiculous in
>most.

Yes, that must be painful at times. What I find ridiculous is your split
behavior. Above you declared that you had difficulties with English and now
again you are trying to teach me about some bad expressions. Look,let me give
you a lesson, that is as if I would say, do you want to bet with me? Because
then I am very certain about my view. And I have discovered some fallacies. But
did I use the expression so often? I don't think so. Perhaps you still have not
digested the case when I wrote it and NO lesson followed at all. Yes, then it
was a deep joke! But I can't remember the reason for that joke. But alsosuch
things are very normal and human. Often I talk about 103% certainty. Now you may
guess what that could mean logically. Right. I am exaggerating. And even that
what I found so certain couldn't be certain at all...

But if you have difficulties with English, such jokes are painful, that's
correct.




>  If you stick to arguments, I'll enjoy speaking with you. If you make a circus
>out of every thread, I'll simply ignore you.


Couldn't we be precise and say that I do make circus only sometimes, and not
always?

>  Someone, very important here, once told me "Rolf can be very interesting when
>he speak of computerchess; shame he almost never does".

Yes, I knowhim. But he can't understand that talking about CC is difficult. And
I prefer to be silent if I don't understand. And also I'm not one of the many
good testers. I think I have too few computers...

>
>>I am quoted with two terms (unethical, criminal) but he did not quote how
>>I was insulted. The moderation knows when I was insulted.
>
>  If you read my post objectively, and I know you can, you'll see that I really
>didn't mean the person, but the fact. I don't care who insults first. I just
>don't like insulting / provoking threads.

Don't you like thought inspiring threads? Pity. You see the difference? Personal
insults,ok, that should be banned. But provoking theses to CC traditions? Why
that should be censored? I don'tknow youpersonally, but it might well be that
you don't like the suspense of thought processes. Of course then I must be very
dangerous in your view. But others might say that I'm important. This is a
problem of levels and perspectives.


>  I didn't use your name. I used those words that I find out of context (you of
>course know it) just as an example. Not meant as a personal reference.


But isn't it strange that you found two expressions I used, the criminal was
tongue in cheek, personally insulting? I mean honestly that goes too far!


>
>>[ok, that is only a little remark, many other aspects could be added, but
>>that is not the site here]
>>
>>Rolf Tueschen
>
>  I you decide keeping the same kind of behaviour as so far, I just ask you for
>one thing: don't use my name in your posts anymore.

Look,if I respond on a post by Bob where Bob answered on your post, by force I
must quote your name. You are the beginner of the whole thread here. You simply
can't censor your own name. But if I would make jokes about you or worse, some
insults, then you were right and you could well complain to the moderation. But
I would never do that. Here I tried to explain why you were offensive although
you didn't insult with bad mouth.



>  But sincerely, I'd prefer you'd discuss ideas with me in a serious way.

Yes, that would be fun. But note, I'm not a programmer. So it depends on  your
own knowledge in other interesting topics of CC. I think this is logical.

Let me add the following. Behind the curtains there were surely some bets about
how long I would survive here in CCC until I would again, and here you see what
fairy tales are worth. Because  certain fairy tales have been told about my past
in rgcc. As if I insulted the whole world two times a day. I already mentioned
that in the German CSS I was accused for using (in German) a too extreme
diplomatic speech. So in other words because I was polite and concentrated on
the arguments I was defamed. That is easy to do. Two or three people are
sufficient to convince the moderation of CSS that this anonymous 'Schachfan' is
disturbing the peace of the forum. I realI was diplomatic and didn't disturb a
thing. But the uproar of a few is the disturbance and they fell provoked by my
diplomacy. I hope you can follow me on that one. So if moderators have no own
ethics they can decide that the diplomat is the provoking man and not those who
are complaining without a cause. BTW in soccer we have the new rule that those
who simulate a foul get a warning! That can lead to exclusion if you had already
a warning before!

So, that is probably what Bob meant with ethical problems of CC. I mean it's
strange if critical questions to SSDF should be held under a taboo. On my own
page I described that when I came into the net in 1996, I had a period of
perhaps 15 years where I thought about CC on my own. Now would you say that you
have thought as long before you started your career as programmer?  Could you
understand why it's often very easy for me to follow the experts if it's not
about technology? So, sure I fall off my chair if I read certain things.
Especially at the occasion when GM play computers.

So, I leave this thread. I think such a debate is valuable. And perhaps we can
meet again in another topic.

Excuse my typing here, I'm on my back flat on the bed and sometimes the
dividingtool doesn't function so that several words are together.

Rolf Tueschen



>
>  Best regards,
>
>  José C.



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