[AUUG-Talk]: Personal Contributions - AUUG's Value Add

[Dave Horsfall]

On Tue, 3 Oct 2006, David Newall wrote:

> > Well, that's an odd definition of "self-reliant", relying upon 
> > unsubstantiated sources etc.
> > 
> > For my part, I use peer-reviewed sources such as books and mailing 
> > lists, with the web stuff coming a distant third.
> >   
> I can see that you place great value on an academic process. Your phrase 
> "unsubstantiated source" (to which I take objection) reveals this as 
> much as "peer-reviewed".

Leaving aside for the moment the question of whether I do (especially 
since I've never worked in academia), what exactly is your objection to 
said process?

> I don't think mailing lists are particularly peer-reviewed;

Everything you post is potentially reviewed by your peers, and after a 
while one forms an opinion as to the value of another's posts.  QED.

For example, I've known some people on this list since the early Unix 
days, and I value their opinions; others' are because I've met them on 
other mailing lists; and yet others' are not (for the same reason).

> and in their absence the sense one is left with, "I use peer-reviewed 
> sources such as books", reinforces the impression.
 
I have already disposed of the premise, hence the conclusion does not 
necessarily follow.  Notwithstanding that, I note again your irrational 
fear of rigorous process.

> You listed two of the same three sources as me, books and web (but in 
> opposite order), differing only in that you ask others where I 
> experiment.  This, perhaps, will help you understand my exception to 
> "unsubstantiated source."

Nice try at drawing red herrings, but I'll be polite and assume that you 
merely misread what I wrote in the second paragraph from the top.  *You* 
listed "web, lists, books" whilst I reversed them; I find it difficult to 
accept that consulting my personal technical library (or works', for that 
matter; you know, those things called "books") is akin to "asking others".

That aside, when I am in need of accurate technical information *now* and 
it's not in my library (or man pages etc), then I will consult my 
available peers (oh dear, there's that word again, which you seem to find 
so offensive) rather than risk screwing things up any further.

-- Dave