Re: Decisions you didn't intend to make [Was: Minutes of the meeting (2006-07-31)]

["Elijah Newren" <newren gmail com>]

On 8/1/06, Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org> wrote:
> <quote who="Elijah Newren">
>
> > Ah, okay, I didn't remember the "at this time" from the IRC meeting on the
> > 21st, and missed it in your original email (and the repeat later on) from
> > this thread as well.  Kind of embarrassing, but oh well.  That makes much
> > more sense now.
>
> You missed the "at this time" from this part of the discussion?

Yep.

> > > Note what I said: It's inappropriate for the release team - *alone, at
> > > this time, with the non-specific discussion we've had so far on this
> > > issue* - to make this decision.
> >
> > Yes, I noted the assertion you made.  I asked if you could explain your
> > assertion and give a reason why it was true, but you merely repeated it.
> > Proof by assertion tends to leave me confused rather than clearing things
> > up.  ;-)
>
> The bit where repeating myself in case you misunderstood was apparently
> "proof by assertion"?

Repeating something word-for-word when someone doesn't understand
doesn't help a lot as far as explanation goes.  ;-)  Further, it
didn't answer the real question at all -- even if I had caught the "at
this time", I would have still asked the same question: "Why?"
(Though it would be "Why do you think it's inappropriate for the
release team to make a decision at this time?" as opposed to "Why do
you think it's inappropriate for the release team to make a
decision?")  Yes, if I had read a little more closely, we could have
avoided some of the later discussions, but it would not have
fundamentally changed this particular question or my response (except
that I hope I would have picked a less offensive way to say it).


Cheers,
Elijah