RDS permanent ban - Page 4

Gandolf · 2016-01-26, 12:56

I am glad the consensus is now clear on this subject.
Indeed, it was the lack of consensus that discouraged me from participating for years.
The behavior appeared to be endorsed(look the other way) by the forum, so it wasn't the kind of crowd I wanted to be around.
It is counter-productive to one's life and achievements. One begins to believe that they are worthless hunks of flesh that keep on living.

However, perhaps we could do one-way requests, where a member can ask Bob a question, and the inquirer is prepared for whatever response he may make. Like a dear Abby.

For example, I would love to hear his response regarding the solution (in the lounge) of D. D. Wall's hypothesis.
It may be likely that he would simply attack the credibility of the poster, rather than make a competent mathematical argument.
However, the math cannot be ignored, and Bob would never be able to debunk the solution even with his unique insight. The challenge is open.

bsquared · 2016-01-26, 16:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gandolf

However, perhaps we could do one-way requests, where a member can ask Bob a question, and the inquirer is prepared for whatever response he may make. Like a dear Abby.

Again, why make things complicated and hard on the mods? And what makes you think he would want to come back here, especially post-this-thread? There are other online venues for mathematical discussion/critique. Like physicsforums.

As everyone should be more than aware, he has written papers, and generally those papers/journals publish contact emails....

VBCurtis · 2016-01-26, 16:55

Agreed- if you want his opinion, email him.

chris2be8 · 2016-01-26, 18:14

One option would have been a rude word filter, preferably configured so posts by selected users are automatically blocked if they contain offensive language. That would have forced the likes of RDS and Davieddy to be a bit more diplomatic without adding to the mods workload.

I recognize this suggestion is a bit late now. And it probably would not have been enough by itself, but would have been worth trying before a permanent ban.

Chris

Gandolf · 2016-01-26, 18:49

I will let the issue rest then. Sorry guys.

Just to clarify, I wasn't suggesting he come back as a member. It could be done once a week/month/quarterly via email, and then quoted here or something like that. He may not want to come back I guess, point taken.

I/we already know his opinion though, it would be the mathematical argument(or lack thereof) that would be priceless to see at the forum.
A private email would probably end up in the spam box, without a second glance, so I won't bother.

Brian-E · 2016-01-27, 11:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris2be8

One option would have been a rude word filter, preferably configured so posts by selected users are automatically blocked if they contain offensive language. That would have forced the likes of RDS and Davieddy to be a bit more diplomatic without adding to the mods workload.

I recognize this suggestion is a bit late now. And it probably would not have been enough by itself, but would have been worth trying before a permanent ban.

Chris

Rude word filters really don't work. While there is undoubtably a strong correlation between the offensiveness of a post and the occurrence in it of certain words, the false positives and false negatives are just too widespread. I expect we've all been victims of having to edit our perfectly reasonable writing because the site where we are placing it objects to a word without understanding its legitimate context. (My own experience includes submitting a piece of writing, a short story, which has a character sucking a drink from a carton through a straw. The site would not allow the word "suck", and I could finally only submit my story after I changed "suck" to "draw".) Conversely, it's easy to construct an incredibly offensive piece without using any of the list of words.

Google "Scunthorpe problem" for more examples. And the mods here are well aware of the phenomenon: I originally learned the term "Scunthorpe problem" from Paul (xilman) here on this forum.

Dubslow · 2016-01-27, 12:25

Not to mention that filtering the characters doesn't filter the intent and meaning of the message, certainly not in any useful way.

LaurV · 2016-01-27, 13:11

Maybe "piratefy" them brings a dose of fun?

"Piratification" is a procedure that makes expressions like "you ignorant stupid motherfucker" or whatever RDS/whoever may use, to be replaced with "you hansome diligent prime hunter" or whatever equivalent, according with a dictionary. On PP is very effective/efficient, and FUN. (edit, or at least it was, years ago when I was playing the game - we used to cuss a lot just to see what is replaced with, and the fun part was the words like "cum" which means "how" in romanian language, were replaced with "bilge" or so, making conversation in romanian groups really funny, because we were inventing impossible language constructions to go around those substitutions)

Brian-E · 2016-01-27, 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaurV

Maybe "piratefy" them brings a dose of fun?

"Piratification" is a procedure [...]

Glad to see you find it fun now. We all change, I guess.

I know you have a sense of humour, so I'm gambling that you won't mind my childishness there, LaurV.

Nick · 2016-01-27, 15:19

Quote:

Senior Drill Instructor Poole was not calling me a penis, you understand; in keeping with recent military regulations that forbade the sergeants from calling recruits foul names, he was, with an acronym, bestowing upon me the highest of compliments. D.I.C.K. was short for Dedicated Infantry Communist Killer.

- from "American Skin" by Don De Grazia (1998)

xilman · 2016-01-27, 17:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick

- from "American Skin" by Don De Grazia (1998)

Right. See you next Tuesday.

2016-01-27, 13:11	#41
LaurV Romulan Interpreter Jun 2011 Thailand 2²×3³×89 Posts	Maybe "piratefy" them brings a dose of fun? "Piratification" is a procedure that makes expressions like "you ignorant stupid motherfucker" or whatever RDS/whoever may use, to be replaced with "you hansome diligent prime hunter" or whatever equivalent, according with a dictionary. On PP is very effective/efficient, and FUN. (edit, or at least it was, years ago when I was playing the game - we used to cuss a lot just to see what is replaced with, and the fun part was the words like "cum" which means "how" in romanian language, were replaced with "bilge" or so, making conversation in romanian groups really funny, because we were inventing impossible language constructions to go around those substitutions) Last fiddled with by LaurV on 2016-01-27 at 13:14

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2016-01-26, 12:56	#34
Gandolf Jan 2016 2·3·5 Posts	I am glad the consensus is now clear on this subject. Indeed, it was the lack of consensus that discouraged me from participating for years. The behavior appeared to be endorsed(look the other way) by the forum, so it wasn't the kind of crowd I wanted to be around. It is counter-productive to one's life and achievements. One begins to believe that they are worthless hunks of flesh that keep on living. However, perhaps we could do one-way requests, where a member can ask Bob a question, and the inquirer is prepared for whatever response he may make. Like a dear Abby. For example, I would love to hear his response regarding the solution (in the lounge) of D. D. Wall's hypothesis. It may be likely that he would simply attack the credibility of the poster, rather than make a competent mathematical argument. However, the math cannot be ignored, and Bob would never be able to debunk the solution even with his unique insight. The challenge is open.

2016-01-26, 16:55	#36
VBCurtis "Curtis" Feb 2005 Riverside, CA 12FD₁₆ Posts	Agreed- if you want his opinion, email him.

2016-01-26, 18:14	#37
chris2be8 Sep 2009 2·1,039 Posts	One option would have been a rude word filter, preferably configured so posts by selected users are automatically blocked if they contain offensive language. That would have forced the likes of RDS and Davieddy to be a bit more diplomatic without adding to the mods workload. I recognize this suggestion is a bit late now. And it probably would not have been enough by itself, but would have been worth trying before a permanent ban. Chris

2016-01-26, 18:49	#38
Gandolf Jan 2016 36₈ Posts	I will let the issue rest then. Sorry guys. Just to clarify, I wasn't suggesting he come back as a member. It could be done once a week/month/quarterly via email, and then quoted here or something like that. He may not want to come back I guess, point taken. I/we already know his opinion though, it would be the mathematical argument(or lack thereof) that would be priceless to see at the forum. A private email would probably end up in the spam box, without a second glance, so I won't bother.

2016-01-27, 12:25	#40
Dubslow Basketry That Evening! "Bunslow the Bold" Jun 2011 40<A<43 -89<O<-88 1C35₁₆ Posts	Not to mention that filtering the characters doesn't filter the intent and meaning of the message, certainly not in any useful way.