WRONG!

wtr at moss.ATT.COM wtr at moss.ATT.COM
Wed May 25 00:38:10 AEST 1988


In article <208 at turnkey.TCC.COM> sandy at turnkey.UUCP writes:
>The following are my replys to WRONGLY stated comments:

	[bundles of stuff deleted about xbbs]

sandy, please dont delete the "In article..." line, i would
have liked to do this by e-mail, but i don't know whom the
previous poster was, thanx.


>> If you are interested in doing a lot of work, his code isn't too bad
>> a starting place, but instead of hawking its new features he should
>> be cleaning up what he has.  This code is definitely not
>> "comp.sources.unix" quality - it just squeaks by as being something
>> that comp.sources.misc would appreciate.  (Sorry Brandon... :-)

>My lawyer will be VERY interested in the above comments along with
[...]
>I have NO idea why you would make my code sound so bad on the net.
>I only wish that you can sleep well at night after liabling me as
>much as you did. I am sure you will NOT hear the end of this.

>Sanford 'Sandy' Zelkovitz
>>    -John

and i'm sure we won't either.....

sandy, before you get your feathers all ruffled, realize that john
has the right to review your product and post a summary of his 
opinion to the net, just as YOU initially did.  his opinions 
are not always going to be complimentory (more on this later).
you have to face the fact that not everybody is going to drop
what they are using and praise your product.  they are going to
see their own 'flaws' in what you may consider to be perfectly
decent code.  hell, i hate it here at work when somebody 
critiques my code, but it has to be done, and in general it
improves the product.  (well, sometimes, but i'll never admit 
it to them ;-)

and while we're on the discussion, let's just DUMP all this
lawyer talk.  it's bullsh*t and reminds me of when i was a five
year old: "well my uncles a lawyer, and if you take my toy he'll
SUE you!" i thought we'd learned better after flaming
apple for two consistant months.

your product is public domain, and like-wise draws public domain
criticism, no warantee implied, original author not responsible for
result of the use of this product, nor any damages incured as a
result.  you've had your ego pretty bruised, but you'll live.


JOHN-

now that i've pointed out a few things to sandy, it's time to point
out a few things in your article.

first of all, your review was about as subtle and impartial as a
charging hippo.  you tore apart sandy's code with very little eye 
for any nice features, nor any appreciation for the effort that went
into the untaking.

you judged the code based upon the assumption that your tastes and
personal judgements were the apparent word of god, or at least a
major representative thereof.  some of the flames that you made were
about features that i found useful and even desirable.  furthermore,
apparently you did not bother to checkout a few fact before flaming
on (module size comes initially to mind)  overall, i think your
review pointed out some good things to look out for in the code, but
i certainly would NEVER base my own judgement on your review.

lastly, this software is public domain (as i have already reminded
sandy.) you little quip about not being comp.sources.unix quality
was a real snide remark, and definitely not appropriate.  sandy's
code is not POSTED! he was pointing out it's availibility on his
system.  you are not one to judge the effort it took to program this
monster, nor judge it's utility to others.  i'm sure that sandy
would more than welcome suggestions about improvements, cleanups,
and fixes.  posting a software 'offering' to the net is one of the
best ways to solicit these things. you offered NONE of these in you 
article.

okay, let's finish this up:

i'm only posting to unix.microport and unix.questions, followup to
unix.questions, in case there is any.  you two NEED to get together
and work this out, as two potential adults, between yourselves.  use
email or the phone, i don't care.  but get it OFF the net.  if you
wish to flame me, or at least discuss it, see the signature below.

GET A GRIP PEOPLE!

=====================================================================
Bill Rankin
Bell Labs, Whippany NJ
(201) 386-4154 (cornet 232)

email address:		...![ ihnp4 ulysses cbosgd allegra ]!moss!wtr
			...![ ihnp4 cbosgd akgua watmath  ]!clyde!wtr
=====================================================================



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