Let's stop the flames on USENET

[cosc19z5@bayou.uh.edu]

> 
> cosc19z5@bayou.uh.edu wrote:
> > As one of the antagonists of the C++ monkeys on Usenet, I can say
> > with confidence that my time on Usenet is not being wasted simply
> > because there is no LispOS to work on.
> 
> I'm surprised on several counts:
> 
> #1. I'm surprised that one among us would call people that have
> different technical beliefs and goals "monkeys". 

The group of people whom I consider to be "monkeys" should be clear
from context, if not, then I shall be explicit.  They are those
people who are putting down Lisp out of ignorance.  People are
free to support C++ just as they are free to go bungee jumping
without a cord, I couldnt' care less -- their loss is their
problem.  What I do care about is when they saunter over to
enlightened newsgroups and proceed to spread their ignorance
and filth.  That's when I go to work.

[Snip]

> #2. I'm surprised that anyone would believe that anything is being
> accomplished by "antagonizing" people other than *widening* the gulf
> between "us" and "them". Do we want Lisp to be the Amiga/OS/2 of
> programming languages -- marginalized by our own fanaticism?

My antagonization has nothing to do with this project.  LispOS is
a project in its own right, and is independent of Usenet squabbles.
Those most offended by my rants are those who would never use
LispOS, or who would do so with the intent of putting it down. 

I'm a member of the LispOS mailing list (it is not a project
yet, and the way we are going I'm not sure if it will ever
be), but I'm also an independent entity who acts in a role
not affiliated with LispOS.  Don't confuse the two.


> 
> #3. I'm surprised that anyone would believe that even if there were some
> benefit in antagonizing people that there is any benefit in doing it
> with such *poor style*. I mean Erik Naggum is one thing: he thinks
> carefully, speaks carefully and attacks strategically. Although I still
> question the benefit of flaming, at least his victims wind up having a
> grudging respect for him and are motivated to learn more about the other
> side so that they can defend themselves. By contrast the majority of the
> Lisp-side of that thread looks like intellectual napalm. The decision to
> use napalm in a battle does not typically improve the international PR
> of the country that does so.
>  

No, but napalm does inflict casualties and that's what the majority
of the Lispers are doing.  Those who preach the drivel that is C++ over
in unrelated newsgroups get a foot firmly planted in their posterior,
and realize just how little respect they and their miserable language
command.  I don't intend to improve PR, as far as I'm concerned the
people I flame are already lost causes -- I do it to harass them and
get them to think twice before opening their mouths anywhere near
our newsgroups.  


>  Paul Prescod
> 


-- 
Cya,
Ahmed