Grex Language Conference

Item 127: New fair witness of the language conference!

Entered by naftee on Sun Nov 30 01:14:31 2003:

I want to be fairwitness of the language conference.  rcurl, one of the
current fairwitnesses, mentioned that he was going to forget an item that was
not in English, and linked it to language only after the promptings of another
user.  This is item 198 in Agora.  If a fairwitness of a language conference
is not even interested in other languages he should be replaced.  I volunteer
to replace rcurl as fairwitness of the language conference.
78 responses total.

#1 of 78 by mary on Sun Nov 30 13:12:50 2003:

So what you need to do is go to the language conference
and make your case to those who use the conference.  If
you get a lot of support then we go to step two.  I don't
really know what step two is because we've never, to my
memory, had that happen before.

I suspect you'll not be able to find much support.



#2 of 78 by davel on Mon Dec 1 03:22:47 2003:

I put in a suggestion to Rane on that item, because I suspected (correctly,
apparently) that he was asleep at the switch.  He promptly linked the item.
I see no evidence whatsoever in the discussion that he "is not even interested
in other languages", & there's quite a bit of evidence lying around to the
contrary.  Forgetting an item consisting, by intention, of discussion in a
language one doesn't know isn't, prima facie, evidence of much beyond
consciousness of a lack of unlimited time.

I suspect Mary's last sentence is entirely correct, but what do I know?


#3 of 78 by naftee on Mon Dec 1 03:59:05 2003:

Well, my primary reason for volunteering to be FW or co-FW of that conference
is primarily because there isn't a large userbase of users reading that
conference, and I want to change that.  and if rcurl want's to stay on, that's
fine with me; the more the merrier.


#4 of 78 by gelinas on Mon Dec 1 04:01:58 2003:

Just out of curiousity, how would you propose to expand the use of that
conference?

I'm also curious about how you determine the number of people using it.


#5 of 78 by glenda on Mon Dec 1 04:01:59 2003:

I also forgot the item in agora.  I will read it in the language cf.  There
is no need to read an item twice.  I always forget items in agora that have
been linked to another cf.  Does that mean that I should be removed as fw to
the cf's that I am fw in?  What a crock.


#6 of 78 by naftee on Mon Dec 1 04:09:05 2003:

re 4
Backtalk has a way to determine the number of participants in a conference.

Specifically, to expand a conference, the best way is to advertise about it,
enter some new items (restarting the conference is a horrible way to revive
it) and spark some new interest in the older items.  I also plan on changing
both the backtalk (web) and command-line interface; specifically, simple
commands that users can type to get information (check out the UNIX conference
on m-net, probably the best example of this).  But those are the main ideas.

re 5 I also use the forget command to read items only once.  But the context
in which rcurl used the statement indicated that he wanted to forget the only
incident of the item (remember, it wasn't linked when he was about to forget
it) and therefore he wasn't interested in it.


#7 of 78 by remmers on Mon Dec 1 12:09:37 2003:

As Mary indicated in resp:1, the first step would be to discuss your
proposals in the language conference.


#8 of 78 by davel on Mon Dec 1 13:40:19 2003:

Hmm.  Neither advertising a conference nor entering new items (or responses)
requires being FW.  Email to Rane, detailing suggestions for interface
changes, might get those and (if not mixed with your usual drivel) would
almost certainly be considered.


#9 of 78 by naftee on Mon Dec 1 23:44:06 2003:

re 7 There is not an active userbase in the language conference currently.
I intend to create one.

re 8 Both your sentences lack any truth.


#10 of 78 by davel on Tue Dec 2 02:37:12 2003:

So you're saying that you are FW of coop, now?  You entered this item.


#11 of 78 by rcurl on Tue Dec 2 03:15:43 2003:

How  would you create "an active userbase" in language? 

My practice is to link items to language when some interest is shown.
either by me personally or by others. Anyone can make the suggestion
if I don't. But I agree this discussion should be in language, so I
will link it there.


#12 of 78 by naftee on Tue Dec 2 04:00:20 2003:

re 10  I said nothing of the sort.  Going back to response #8, doing proper
advertising of a conference requires being a FW.  Also, the interface needs
work.  Please read response #6.  E-mailing suggestions might be done, as you
mentioned in that response, but I'm interested in things that actually happen.

re 11 Please read response #6.  Thanks for linking this item; I'll freeze the
one I created.


#13 of 78 by gelinas on Tue Dec 2 04:03:58 2003:

I don't agree the interface needs work.  What are your suggestions?

What do you consider "proper advertising"?  I've promoted specific conferences
more than once, and I've never been an FW on this system.


#14 of 78 by rcurl on Tue Dec 2 06:48:11 2003:

I would welcome active (and appropriate) participation from naftee in
the language conference, as well as specific suggestions for its
management. 


#15 of 78 by willcome on Tue Dec 2 07:58:09 2003:

I, for one, fully support naftee's bid to coup d'etat rcurl (and his ass).


#16 of 78 by naftee on Tue Dec 2 14:59:02 2003:

re 13 I've given some of my suggestions on interface improvement in response
#6 . To create those, I would have to be FW of the conference.  I would also
be able to link items that users such as rcurl would forget.  Additionally,
there are some cool things with backtalk which I'd like to explore more. 
Perhaps updating the web interface with hyperlinks.  These are very rough
ideas.

re 14 I would like to manage or co-manage it, it would be easier.  See above.


#17 of 78 by mynxcat on Tue Dec 2 16:09:28 2003:

Yuo can help fw the international cf, naftee. I'd be happy to have you 
on board.


#18 of 78 by gelinas on Tue Dec 2 16:58:49 2003:

Response #6 speaks in generalities.  Which shortcuts do you think would
improved the language conference?


#19 of 78 by rcurl on Tue Dec 2 17:53:29 2003:

I'd be glad to implement any improvements in language if there is some
concensus they are desirable. Some of what naftee proposes in #6 concerns
the Backtalk interface: these would require staff approval and
implementation.  naftee can implement advertisement of the conference any
time he wants.  None of the things naftee suggested there requires FW
status. 

In regard to my saying that I was about to forget that Polish item (I had
not done it yet) before davel suggested the link, I was making a comment
*after* his suggestion, as a participant in agora. I couldn't read the
item and although it was in Polish, it wasn't about Polish.  Even if I did
forget the item for myself (that wasn't a foregone action), that would not
have interfered with anyone else's participation in the item, nor would it
have interfered with anyone sending me e-mail to suggest the link (this is
a common procedure anyway).  What hints were given that some participants
would prefer to exercise Polish in the language cf rather than in agora?

willcome, I think, in #15, brings up what may be the real issue.  I
referred to both naftee and willcome in the current agora as "jerks" for
some very jerk-like responses they entered. This issue smells a lot like a
counterattack.



#20 of 78 by remmers on Tue Dec 2 18:31:51 2003:

I'd have to agree that Rane hasn't demonstrated any inadequacy as
a fairwitness in any of this.


#21 of 78 by davel on Tue Dec 2 19:44:15 2003:

I already said the same.  Rane's doing a fine job.

Re one point in #19: I don't use backtalk myself, Rane, but I suspect that
there are some FW-customizable things regarding that interface.  As you said,
naftee never said anything specific (beyond like-some-conference-on-Mnet),
so it's hard to know what he wants on this; but it probably is something that
wouldn't require staff intervention, at a wild guess.


#22 of 78 by willcome on Tue Dec 2 20:49:56 2003:

Re. 19:  There are certain Backtalk features only an FW is allowed to use to
modify a conference.  (You should know that.)

What SHOULDN"T be allowed, however, is your nonsense accusation that I am
using this issue to "counterattack" you.  I don't really care who FWs the
conference, and I don't really care that you called me a jerk.  I think you
should apologise, whore.


#23 of 78 by glenda on Tue Dec 2 20:52:40 2003:

Do we really want or need conferences on Grex to be "like-some-
conference-on-Mnet"?  They are 2 separate and different systems.  I 
like it that way and see no reason why they should resemble each other.


#24 of 78 by willcome on Tue Dec 2 21:40:25 2003:

Xenophobe.


#25 of 78 by rcurl on Tue Dec 2 21:55:55 2003:

Apologize for what, willcome?

If any Backtalk features need to be changed/fixed, and an FW can do it,
I would be glad to. But I don't use Backtalk. My responsibility is
language, not Backtalk. 


#26 of 78 by willcome on Tue Dec 2 21:59:30 2003:

I think you should apologise for accusing me of "[counterattacking]" you.


#27 of 78 by willcome on Tue Dec 2 22:01:19 2003:

R. 25:  Unless one's FW of a conference, he can't very well be expected to
know which specific features are available; unless naftee's an FW, he can't
tell you, as an FW, to do.


#28 of 78 by naftee on Tue Dec 2 23:35:05 2003:

 re 17 I'd love to help out with the international conference.

 re 18 For instance, a user could type 'hello' at the Ok: prompt, and 
it would show them what the word hello is in twelve different 
languages.  Stuff like that.

 re 19
 >Some of what naftee proposes in #6 concerns
  the Backtalk interface: these would require staff approval and
  implementation.

 You have no idea what you are talking about.  This is why another FW 
is needed.

 > I referred to both naftee and willcome in the current agora 
as "jerks" for some very jerk-like responses they entered. This issue 
smells a lot like a counterattack.

 Perhaps you did, but that's not the issue.

re 20 You don't participate in the language conference.  How are you 
to judge this?

re 21
>but it probably is something that
>wouldn't require staff intervention, at a wild guess.

Yes, that is the whole point of a fairwitness.

re 23
>Do we really want or need conferences on Grex to be "like-some-
conference-on-Mnet"?  They are 2 separate and different systems.  I 
like it that way and see no reason why they should resemble each other.

You've taken that quote entirely out of context.  I was making a 
comment on the interface of the conference, not the content.  In other 
words, you have nothing to fear.

re 25
>My responsibility is language, not Backtalk. 

Once again, this is why another FW is needed.  A fairwitness' 
responsibility is towards the conference.











#29 of 78 by rcurl on Wed Dec 3 00:07:19 2003:

Traditionally, FWs volunteer and are accepted because they will be fair
witnesses. One can always learn the computer stuff. One just asks, and
there is a lot of ready help available. It is not essentially a *technical*
position.


#30 of 78 by naftee on Wed Dec 3 00:12:57 2003:

Read response #0.  My reasons for volunteering were originally not 
technical.  Rather, as 'untechnical' as one can get in an electronic 
BBS.


#31 of 78 by willcome on Wed Dec 3 00:15:37 2003:

29: when are you gonna apologise?


#32 of 78 by glenda on Wed Dec 3 01:18:04 2003:

Why should the interface(s) of Grex be like those of Mnet.  Again, 
they are different systems and should not look or feel the same.  
Difference is good.  Do you want all your friends' homes to look the 
same as yours and everyone else's.  It would get very boring very fast.


#33 of 78 by willcome on Wed Dec 3 02:18:29 2003:

Why, then, do you support changing to OpenBSD?  That's more similar than SunOS
is to M-Net's interface, which, face it, is already virtually identical to
Grex's.  I don't see how adding useful features to conferences is going to
make them boring.


#34 of 78 by naftee on Wed Dec 3 03:57:25 2003:

re 32  You have no idea what you're talking about.  Read my above responses.
In none of them did I mention I'd make the language conference look like a
conference on m-net.  Please drop that line of argument.


#35 of 78 by gull on Wed Dec 3 14:32:57 2003:

Adding features to Picospan isn't within a FW's capabilities.


#36 of 78 by jep on Wed Dec 3 15:03:06 2003:

That's actually not quite correct.

For the text interface the fw can define aliases of Unix commands for 
his conference, using (I think) the .cfrc file.  He can also cause 
other Unix commands to be executed for each user who enters the 
conference (though individual users have the capability of evading 
these commands).  I've heard of people using fw powers to prevent 
unwanted users from posting, having people logged out upon entering the 
conference, or making every response containing a code word appear to 
be personally directed toward the person joining the conference.

For the WWW interface, the fw can define links within the conference 
WWW page, and also define colors and background images for the 
conference.  (The Backtalk and Sports conferences here on Grex, and 
possibly others, use these capabilities.)


#37 of 78 by gull on Wed Dec 3 15:11:15 2003:

Hmm.  Thanks for the correction.


#38 of 78 by remmers on Wed Dec 3 16:16:34 2003:

I plead guilty to the "code word" one.  The Mary Poppins filter,
used originally on M-Net, and once here as an April Fool joke.

Seriously, though, this capability of Picospan, as implemented, is
a security hole that ought to be plugged.

In any case, a user can exempt themselves from any FW changes by
putting the line "set nosource" in their .cfonce file.

I am skeptical that the changes proposed by naftee would have much
benefit.


#39 of 78 by naftee on Wed Dec 3 16:19:59 2003:

re 38  Perhaps you are skeptical, but you (or ay other GreX user, for that
matter) have not given any reasons, good or otherwise, against me being FW
of the language conference.


#40 of 78 by remmers on Wed Dec 3 16:46:13 2003:

I'm not saying that you shouldn't.  But the decision should be up to
the participants in the language conference, not the readers of Coop,
and not you.  (I'm reading this item in Coop.)

To elaborate on the security issue:  If a conference directory contains
a file named "rc" of Picospan commands, those commands are executed
whenever a user joins the conference, unless they have the line "set
nosource" in their .cfonce file.  That's how an FW can customize
prompts and other features of a conference.  

However, the rc file can contain shell escapes that execute arbitrary 
Unix commands *as that user*.  Consider the implications of that.

In view of that, I think it would be reasonable for participants of
a conference to consider a user's track record of behavior on the
system in deciding whether or not that user is appropriate fair-
witness material.


#41 of 78 by other on Wed Dec 3 16:58:13 2003:

Under the circumstances, I'd say that's all the justification needed 
for users of that conference to not want asshole, err willcome/
naftee as FW, but I'm willing to let them decide how much rope he 
can hang himself with.


#42 of 78 by naftee on Wed Dec 3 18:44:49 2003:

re 40 Users can always see exactly what a command does in the rc file. 
Besides, a user doesn't *HAVE* to type a command if they don't want to. 
Additionally, I don't plan on doing stupid tricks as FW such as you described
above.

re 41  I think you should look at yourself before calling other people
assholes.  Read it carefully.  It's "other people" not "another person".


#43 of 78 by remmers on Wed Dec 3 19:30:18 2003:

They can see if they know to look.  Most users don't.

But I'm out of this discussion insofar as it pertains to fw'ing
Language, since I don't participate in that conference.


#44 of 78 by cmcgee on Wed Dec 3 19:35:27 2003:

So any other stupid tricks you have done were planned far in advance?


#45 of 78 by rcurl on Wed Dec 3 20:17:41 2003:

I'm not interested in naftee joining me as a FW of the language conference.
He has not been an active, much less valuable, participant in the conference.
He has also shown that he likes to enter junk responses in other conferences
and has the skills to multiply this in conferences in which he has the
powers of a FW. 

There are dozens of inactive conferences, many I think even with FWs
that are not current users. I'd suggest turning one of those over to
naftee, and he can show us what he can do as a FW. 


#46 of 78 by naftee on Thu Dec 4 02:30:44 2003:

The langauge conference, thanks to you, rcurl, is one of those sadly inactive
conferences.  Getting defensive isn't going to change that fact.  Welcoming
help, however, will.


#47 of 78 by rcurl on Thu Dec 4 02:55:40 2003:

I'd  welcome a co FW if it were a user I could trust not to do infantile or
stupid things. 


#48 of 78 by naftee on Thu Dec 4 03:01:46 2003:

rcurl, you are being replaced.  Live with it.  You ruined the language
conference.  I'm here to fiz your mistakes.


#49 of 78 by naftee on Thu Dec 4 03:04:28 2003:

fix


#50 of 78 by gelinas on Thu Dec 4 03:13:19 2003:

As a user of language:  No, you aren't, naftee.  I see no reason to make you
a fairwitness of this conference.


#51 of 78 by willcome on Thu Dec 4 03:25:10 2003:

Right, Grex certainly doesn't need new staff members.


#52 of 78 by gelinas on Thu Dec 4 03:39:42 2003:

Fair witnesses are not staff members.


#53 of 78 by willcome on Thu Dec 4 03:40:56 2003:

They're semistaff members.

Right.  Grex certainly doesn't need to encourage active users.


#54 of 78 by davel on Thu Dec 4 14:14:21 2003:

Some active users need encouragement.  Some are just a plague.


#55 of 78 by naftee on Fri Dec 5 04:14:00 2003:

re 50 I've given you almost a dozen reasons for why I should be a fairwitness
of the language conference.  Care to give me any reasons why I should not be
one?


#56 of 78 by gelinas on Fri Dec 5 04:53:20 2003:

Yes:  #46 and #48.


#57 of 78 by willcome on Fri Dec 5 05:02:49 2003:

He was just being silly, gelinas.  Couldn't you tell by his language?


#58 of 78 by gelinas on Fri Dec 5 05:34:25 2003:

And how is that different from everything else he (or is it you, under a
different login-id?  I've never yet figured that out) has entered here?


#59 of 78 by willcome on Fri Dec 5 05:38:40 2003:

What's wrong with entering silly stuff?


#60 of 78 by gelinas on Fri Dec 5 05:43:30 2003:

Nothing, as an occasional change of pace.  But when it is all (or even almost
all) someone enters, the resulting impression is . . . silliness, unrelieved
silliness.


#61 of 78 by willcome on Fri Dec 5 06:52:13 2003:

Your age is showing, gelinas.


#62 of 78 by gelinas on Fri Dec 5 07:18:42 2003:

As is yours.


#63 of 78 by davel on Fri Dec 5 13:21:47 2003:

In any case, it's not a strong qualification for FWing.


#64 of 78 by naftee on Fri Dec 5 16:38:56 2003:

It's almost funny how gelinas is using willcome's opinions of my actions as
the truth.


#65 of 78 by jep on Fri Dec 5 18:25:07 2003:

re resp:64: Yeah, it's strange how people view things when two loginids 
always agree with one another; when one of them usually comes along and 
says "Me, too" when the other one says anything at all; and when they 
cite one another as possessing positive characteristics that no one 
else seems to have perceived.  It's really weird how, when two loginids 
seem identical, others may come to think they have something in 
common.  Fortunately, willcome, by jumping on such assumptions and 
disputing them, you can always correct people's impressions and make 
sure they treat you as two separate people.  Keep trying, some of us 
are pretty slow and have to be told as many as dozens of times before 
we'll properly understand what you're saying on a subject such as this 
one.


#66 of 78 by mynxcat on Fri Dec 5 18:46:00 2003:

This response has been erased.



#67 of 78 by jp2 on Fri Dec 5 18:54:51 2003:

This response has been erased.



#68 of 78 by mynxcat on Fri Dec 5 19:10:05 2003:

willcome's polytarp. As is dah, and plongeur. 

naftee's asd.


#69 of 78 by naftee on Fri Dec 5 19:20:07 2003:

re 65

> when two loginids always agree with one another;

Patently false.

>when one of them usually comes along and
> says "Me, too" when the other one says anything at all;

Mmhuh?

> when they
> cite one another as possessing positive characteristics that no one
> else seems to have perceived.

Some people percieve them, others don't.

>when two loginids seem identical, 

Seem identical to whom?  Since you're responding for gelinas, we 
may as well say that jep and gelinas are the same person.
You seem identical enough.

> others may come to think they have something in common. 

Maybe two people have some things in common, but clearly they are not the same
persons.  Your post has done more to show the differences between myself and
willcome than to show how we are the same.  Or perhaps its purpose was to show
how old persons' faculties slow down over time.


#70 of 78 by albaugh on Fri Dec 5 20:07:39 2003:

If naftee really wants what is best for the lang conference, he can do what
other people have already said re: give his ideas to the existing FW to try
out.  If naftee absolutely must *be* a FW before knowing what those ideas are,
I agree with what rcurl said in #45 - go learn as the FW of a conference no
one cares if it gets "broken".  


#71 of 78 by jep on Fri Dec 5 20:47:15 2003:

Heh.  You're not going to offend me by confusing me with gelinas, but 
Joe might take it badly.


#72 of 78 by gelinas on Fri Dec 5 23:12:13 2003:

I don't participate on M-Net.  It is entirely possible that the polytarp
and naftee personas are differentiated on that system.  They have not
been well-differentiated here.  #69 is the first response I've noticed
that offers some evidence of different people.  Saying "I'm not polytarp"
is NOT evidence, by the way; it is merely an claim.


#73 of 78 by naftee on Sat Dec 6 00:05:27 2003:

re 71 No, I'm actually quite capable of differentiating between two seperate
users, unlike some other users around here.  Funny, it seems like some of
those "other users" are staff members.  You'd think a staff member would know
how to tell if indeed there is only one user using two loginids.

re 70 What happens when you attempt to give your ideas to a FW of a conference
who a) has let it become inactive and therefore doesn't give a shit about it
and b) is prejudiced towards the giver of ideas?  No, that FW must certainly
be replaced.


#74 of 78 by albaugh on Mon Dec 8 21:11:22 2003:

No, you are certainly wrong.


#75 of 78 by naftee on Tue Dec 9 02:29:09 2003:

Believe it, it's true.


#76 of 78 by jaklumen on Thu Dec 11 02:14:55 2003:

"I know you are, but what am I?"


#77 of 78 by jesuit on Wed May 17 02:14:25 2006:

TROGG IS DAVID BLAINE


#78 of 78 by naftee on Mon Oct 9 03:58:28 2006:

hey guys; i still wouldn't mind doing this.


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