tea.mathoverflow.net - Discussion Feed (Annoying advice)

Ben Webster comments on "Annoying advice" (12682)

Ben Webster — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:09:41 -0800

I strongly suspect this is a case of "what you day on the Internet is not necessarily what people hear." I mean, it's good advice to not ask for code on MO; I fully admit that that sets off my "not appropriate" buzzer in a way that asking for an algorithm wouldn't. Probably there are plenty of questions which are good in algorithmic form, but not code form.

Either way, the recourse is to silently thing less of the writer, or try to engage him in personal dialogue. If you really want to, you could write a comment condemning it, and hope people vote it up.

Alex Bartel comments on "Annoying advice" (12672)

Alex Bartel — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:53:29 -0800

For what it's worth, I do agree with Harry that the advice was cynical and condescending. Nothing we can do about it, alas, except flagging (not sure if that would be an appropriate course of action).

Harry Gindi comments on "Annoying advice" (12670)

Harry Gindi — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:06:09 -0800

challenge Derrick Stolee to a duel

You realize that his full name is Derrick "Pistolee" Stolee, right?

You can see why I'm not challenging him a duel, then?

Ben Webster comments on "Annoying advice" (12669)

Ben Webster — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:20:57 -0800

The question being, what do you expect us to do about it? If you want to go challenge Derrick Stolee to a duel, well, that's between you and him. But people are allowed to write things which annoy you on MO.

Harry Gindi comments on "Annoying advice" (12665)

Harry Gindi — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 10:05:00 -0800

It's so cold outside, and I only have shorts!

ajtolland comments on "Annoying advice" (12664)

ajtolland — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 09:43:59 -0800

Harry,

Go get some exercise or something. You're overreacting.

Harry Gindi comments on "Annoying advice" (12663)

Harry Gindi — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:39:48 -0800

The advice given here to the OP exactly misses the point of MO, and I think it's completely condescending to suggest, for instance that the only way that MO people can tell the difference between an MO question and and SO question is by the use of the word "code" rather than algorithm.

That's not to say that the question is suitable or not (I can certainly think of plenty of mathematical applications of such charts), but I think that the advice given there misses the point entirely. I just don't appreciate the suggestion that we're simultaneously shallow and stupid.