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- Path: sundog.tiac.net!usenet
- From: vri@tiac.net (Arun Malik)
- Newsgroups: alt.bonehead.colin-james-iii,alt.culture.usenet,alt.usenet.kooks,biz.comp.accounting,comp.databases,comp.databases.object,comp.databases.olap,comp.databases.theory,comp.human-factors,comp.lang.ada,comp.lang.basic.visual,comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.eiffel,comp.lang.smalltalk,comp.programming,comp.software-eng,comp.software.licensing,comp.theory,ok.general,sci.crypt,sci.math,soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.russian,soc.culture.soviet
- Subject: Re: Anathama maranatha, or Jihad of The Right Reverend
- Date: Sun, 14 Jan 1996 21:08:34 GMT
- Organization: Ad Astra
- Distribution: inet
- Message-ID: <4dbpkr$4tu@sundog.tiac.net>
- References: <113306Z14011996@anon.penet.fi>
- NNTP-Posting-Host: vri.tiac.net
- X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.0.82
-
- an491102@anon.penet.fi (Ada Lovelace) wrote:
-
- >NOMINATING: Colin "The Right Reverend" James III,
- >cjames@cec-services.com, as Kook Of The Month.
- >Vote early, vote often!
-
- > Jihad on biz.*, comp.* and soc.* groups by
- > The Right Reverend Colin James III
-
- > VOTE BY EMAIL TO mlegare@wetware.com!!!
- <snip>
- >CJIII's "estimate" of complexity of his BSAM method:
- <snip>
- > Any computer science student knows that complexity
- > (n + n^0.5) makes no sense. After that
-
- I remember reading some of the articles posted about this - oh so
- many months gone by. Mr. James apparently was quoting much of the
- material from a textbook. When asked, he cited the textbook and one
- of the other people participating in the thread obtained a copy of the
- textbook and learned that the incorrect "estimate" of complexity was a
- error (probably a typo) in the textbook Mr. James was quoting.
-
- In other words, he was - in good faith - quoting from a textbook, not
- realizing that the textbook was wrong! So to attack him on these
- grounds is just a bit cruel. (More on this at the end of the
- article).
-
- I also saw some of his first posts in which he declared those who
- pointed out this error Anathama maranatha and the subsequent
- discussion of the proper spelling of that phrase. At which point I
- stopped following the thread.
-
- I hadn't realized that he would "evolve" into such an interesting
- netizen. I congratulate you on taking the time to archive his more
- interesting articles and bringing them to the attention of the readers
- of alt.usenet.kooks.
-
- However, I do have some residual sympathy for him as I am aquainted
- with several amateur as well as professional inventors (professional =
- those who actually make money from their patents). A very common
- characteristic of the amateurs is their overriding belief in their
- ideas, no matter how "eccentric". Often they are quite charming and
- almost always very interesting speakers - as long as you keep nodding
- in appreciation and asking them to expand on their ideas. Their
- enthusiasm is inspiring and you can't help but wish them luck. I've
- never really had the heart to point out the problems with their ideas
- as each time I've done so, they've turned defensive and simply can't
- "see" the problem you've identified.
-
- Whereas the successful "professional" inventor is more than happy to
- have you point out any problems you might have seen. They listen
- carefully, and reason out why your criticism is flawed, or will admit
- to a shortcoming in their idea.
-
- I suspect that Mr. James simply had so much time/self-respect invested
- in his "patent" that upon being told that it was based on a *typo*, he
- simply could not accept it and has lashed out defensively against this
- rather severe blow to his ego.
-
- I find it rather sad.
-
- I think that someone who is voted a Usenet Kook should be someone more
- along the lines of last month's winner, Mr. Nathan Haas. Someone who
- posts articles agreeing with himself, appointing himself the
- "Politeness Monitor" for alt.religion.scientology, and in general
- acting in a very strange yet humorous manner.
-
- In other words, it detracts from the humorous intent of Kook of the
- Month to elect someone more deserving of pity than censure.
-
- Arun Malik
-
-
-