From: ahmed-shakil@cs.yale.edu (Shakil Waiz Ahmed)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bangladesh
Subject: Re: My objections to the survey... (just an opinion)
Date: 6 Nov 1992 15:19:42 -0500
Organization: Yale University Computer Science Dept., New Haven, CT 06520-2158
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: curie.systemsy.cs.yale.edu


In article <SAHMED.92Nov6145148@edvac.cs.oberlin.edu>, sahmed@edvac.cs.oberlin.edu (Saif Ahmed) writes:
> In article <1dedfkINNqkj@CURIE.SYSTEMSY.CS.YALE.EDU> ahmed-shakil@cs.yale.edu (Shakil Waiz Ahmed) writes:

> >> Isn't that what all those "scb awards" postings were about?
> 
> >Why, Saif, did you feel addressed by any of the categories?  I don't
> >really recall fingerpointing in a particularly negative way in any of
> >the categories I suggested other than in good humor.  Or perhaps you
> >felt addressed by one of the categories even though your name wasn't
> >mentioned?  I wonder what that could be...
> >Surely, there is a difference between humorous "awards" articles, and
> >an organized survey that requests people to officially list their
> >likes and dislikes about scb?
> 
> Whether I felt addressed or not is irrelevent. 

It is?  I guess that leaves open the possibility that you did...  I
wonder why.  I'll leave it at that...

> It was still
> fingerpointing. And your categories are not in question here. I was
> just wondering what made you support one kind of finger pointing and
> not the survey. Did you feel addressed by something in the survey?

No, why, did you?  Clearly, as I have said above, the "SCB awards" do
not qualify as fingerpointing for the simple reason there were enough
smileys and other obvious indications of humor attached to have made
the whole exchange be nothing other than a playful joke.  An organized
survey requesting every individual to list their likes and dislikes
falls in a different category entirely.

> >> Don't understand this statement, this is how I interpret it. "Any
> >> attempt to improve on something would violate the very spirit of scb."
> >> Is that what you meant to say?
> 
> >Not surprising that you would interpret it that way...  wouldn't be
> >the first time you took something out of context... :)  
> 
> Add the context and lets look for a different interpretation. 

The context was there if you would care to look at the original
message.  And if you would be kind enough to look at the full message
that you are quoting (but as usual, conveniently cutting out the relevant
parts), you will find the context repeated.

> Not the first time you accused me of the crime either. 

Very true.

> Perhaps some of us Bangals don't learn how to interpret english
> properly. 

Oh, no need to pluralize it...

> What an
> individual posts may improve the quality of scb.  Of course such an
> improvementwould be a violation of the "spirit of scb". 

It would?  Why?

> >The point here
> <some stuff deleted next paragraph "out of context" There I saved
> Shakil from writing it>

Good Saif, you're outdoing yourself today.  To ensure that what you
say is indeed "out of context," you go through the effort of
*deleting* the context and then proceed to repeat yourself anyway.

> The point is taken. My point is this. The survey could not have done
> any more harm than the scb awards could have done. 

Clearly, as is often the case, your point is wrong.  There was no
official air about individuals posting a few jokes under the "SCB
awards" category.  But an organized survey which requests replies from
everyone is a very different matter indeed.  Such a survey gives off
the illusion of an official mandate which is nonexistent.  

> It may not do any good other than to satisfy the authors curiosity. 

It probably *will* do no other good than that.

> As for improvements,
> why worry about the authors authority to implement any improvements
> when they don't have the capability to do so.

I worry about the false image of authority it seems to present.  And
given all this, I simply don't see the point behind it.  That's why I
choose to abstain.  You obviously disagree, and you are free to
participate in that and any other surveys.  I am merely stating my
reasons for not filling out this survey.

-- Shakil Ahmed
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