[SCL] Re: zzz standard ...

[Bill Andersen]

Hi, Murray...

I'm sorry my conduct has offended you.  Your comments are good ones so
I'll address them below...

On Jan 1, 2004, at 1852, Murray Altheim wrote:

> Bill,
>
> Exactly where do you derive the authority to talk to anyone that way?
> Who positioned you as the arbiter of what is appropriate communication
> around here? I don't remember there being a vote, and your continued
> calls for censorship (either of Jon, or of political views you disagree
> with) are certainly going to be ignored by anyone who doesn't respond
> to military-order style demands. We're not in the military here.

Correct on at least the last count.

This list exists because of a meeting held three years ago at Texas A&M 
at
which Chris Menzel, Pat Hayes, John Sowa, and others were present, the
object being to provide a firm foundation for KIF-like languages.  Then 
the
goal expanded to provide a common platform for FO languages to include 
KIF,
CGIF, and any others that could be made compatible.

Just what is it in Jon Awbrey's comments that leads you to believe that 
he
is in any way interested in contributing to the success of *this* goal?

On to the political.  Pat made an unsolicited comment about the current
administration in this country with which I happened not to agree.  But
my agreement or disagreement is utterly irrelevant -- I would have 
voiced
my objection to the use of this list for *any* form of political 
commentary.
I respect Pat's right to believe whatever he wants and had he said that 
in
a private venue I would be glad to talk about it with him, but *this* 
list
is not the place.  Pat apologized for what he said and perhaps I should 
not
have responded as harshly as I did, but that's old news now.

> Just because some people commonly talk to others rudely on this list
> doesn't license everyone to. This is the *least* civil list I've ever
> been party to, second probably only to some news groups I remember
> from back in the mid 1980s, and they were discussing religion.

I do not mean to be rude at all but I have watched Jon singlehandedly 
bring
down the IEEE SUO activity by hogging all the bandwidth with his posts. 
  I
have no intention of sitting around idly while he does the same here.  
As
Pat has suggested, the prognosis for this sort of behavior being 
tolerated
on this list is not good and I agree with him.

Yes, my comment was a bit angry in tone, but I stand by what I said.  
Any
positive contribution to the work of this list from any quarter, 
including
from Jon, is to be welcomed.  If he, however, insists of taking up 
valuable
time (are you considering how much time Pat and Chris have put into all 
of
this???) and deflecting energy and attention from the evaluation of the
concrete proposed documents we have in front of us by leading us off on 
a
discussion of Peirce and semiotics, then I am obligated to call foul and
ask of him that he either contribute to *this* work or leave the list.

I have nothing personally against Jon.  He's certainly a bright guy 
with a
lot of experience and knowledge.  He seems pleasant enough.  And I 
meant what
I said to him in earnest, even if it was angry at the time -- If he has 
a
better idea then he should pursue it alone or with other interested 
parties.
He should not, however, be allowed to force this on folks who don't 
share
his personal interests and biases.

I, for one, am not a fan of the use of DL for doing ontology.  Do I 
spend
all my days flooding the DL lists with my many reasons for not liking 
DLs?
No, I don't.  They have work to do -- let them do it.  We have work to 
do
here and all I propose is that we be left alone to do it.

   .bill

PS - And yes, I'm still de-militarizing myself after spending most of 
the
year in the Army.  I would have much preferred to stay home.  :-D