Thus spake Rikus Combrinck circa 09-10-11 01:53 PM: > What the hell? [...] > If there is the possibility of > additional insight, any insight, how about some applause when people spend > their own resources to advance their understanding, and share it for free as > they go!
Well, the thing you might be missing is that detailed criticism _is_ applause in scientific circles. Online media are difficult to understand. Detailed criticism is usually a sign of _respect_ and should be interpreted as an "atta boy". But ignoring someone's post is NOT a secret message for that person to stop contributing. Sometimes, the impact of a post is quite large even if there is no response. These things are occult. But one thing is for sure, if a person takes the time to actually read and respond to what you've written, then it is a sign of RESPECT, even if (or perhaps especially if) the response is very critical. Now, while I agree that self-indulgent mocking in the form of "Oh no, not again", without any detailed criticism is bad form (because it's mostly useless), I don't think we need saccharine back-patting. But then again, I've been accused of total failure in my attempts to encourage people after doing a good job. ;-) So, what do I know? -- glen e. p. ropella, 971-222-9095, http://agent-based-modeling.com ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
