tea.mathoverflow.net - Discussion Feed (Deleted some off-topic comments)

theojf comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6952)

theojf — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:21:53 -0700

I fully support both: deleting the comments; and moving them here. I like transparency --- I think the best habit, which mostly occurs already, is for MO to be transparent except in the most extreme circumstances. I also like keeping actual MO civil. As a user, I understand that what ends up on the MO front page and what goes on back here are related but separate.

Robin Chapman comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6657)

Robin Chapman — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:06:30 -0700

JHS, the comment in question was made by Andrew L not Tom.
My reading of the situation was that Andrew's comment was made in haste
and based on a misunderstanding. I cannot see that an enquiry
as to his exact meaning would be a profitable use of anyone's time.

Andy Putman comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6638)

Andy Putman — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 06:50:41 -0700

@Tom : Even if you had in fact told us you had gotten a 2.1 GPA, we (well, I'm not exactly a MO bigwig, but close enough) would hardly have kicked you around! We might have given you different advice, as grades that low would probably make grad school a bad idea, but I like to think that as a community we would have been nice about it!

Tom Boardman comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6634)

Tom Boardman — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:02:14 -0700

@J.H.S.- I said nothing of the sort! I think that was Andrew L confusing degree classes with GPAs- if I had indeed come out of university with an (I am told) somewhat woeful 2.1 GPA rather than a moderately respectable (but, sadly, about as much use as a souvenir T-shirt when applying for a PhD- hence the question) 2:1 degree class- I can see how, by broadcasting it to people who I hope would trust my future answers, I'd have been in for something of a kicking from the MO bigwigs....:p

J. H. S. comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6633)

J. H. S. — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:04:12 -0700

Can any of you guys explain to me what Tom exactly meant by "when there are Ivy League graduates and professors attending this board and basically bent over to be kicked is beyond me"? I have to admit that I wasn't able to catch his drift.

Harry Gindi comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6462)

Harry Gindi — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:20:06 -0700

And markdown:

@Andrew Man,cold on the GPA comment,Andrew. Then again,why he confessed to 2.1 when there are Ivy League graduates and professors attending this board and basically bent over to be kicked is beyond me.......... – Andrew L 11 hours ago

Andrew L : He wasn't talking about GPA. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… – Andy Putman 3 hours ago

Andrew L, since you seem to spend a fair amount of time with your comments getting criticized and/or being put on "probation," I have a suggestion for you: before you make a comment, it might behoove you to consider how people reading your comment will receive it. For example, as far as I can tell, the only purpose of your second sentence is to irritate or insult other members of MO. (I also think, based on your first sentence, that you have misread or misunderstood Andrew Stacey's comment and its context; but perhaps I'm the one who misunderstands it.) – JBL 3 hours ago

@JBL Sigh.That wasn't my purpose-but I can't win. I give up.I apologize for any offense.I don't even try and explain myself anymore,it's a waste of energy. – Andrew L 3 hours ago

They key difference here is that the quote box resizes with the screen, while the code box doesn't.

Harry Gindi comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6461)

Harry Gindi — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:19:37 -0700

Here's what it looks like in plain text:

> @Andrew Man,cold on the GPA comment,Andrew. Then again,why he confessed to 2.1 when there are Ivy League graduates and professors attending this board and basically bent over to be
kicked is beyond me.......... – Andrew L 11 hours ago

> Andrew L : He wasn't talking about GPA. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… – Andy Putman 3 hours ago

> Andrew L, since you seem to spend a fair amount of time with your comments getting criticized and/or being put on "probation," I have a suggestion for you: before you make a comment,
it might behoove you to consider how people reading your comment will receive it. For example, as far as I can tell, the only purpose of your second sentence is to irritate or insult
other members of MO. (I also think, based on your first sentence, that you have misread or misunderstood Andrew Stacey's comment and its context; but perhaps I'm the one who
misunderstands it.) – JBL 3 hours ago

> @JBL Sigh.That wasn't my purpose-but I can't win. I give up.I apologize for any offense.I don't even try and explain myself anymore,it's a waste of energy. – Andrew L 3 hours ago

Scott Morrison comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6459)

Scott Morrison — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:09:44 -0700

@jbl, Qiaochu got it right. I just wanted to provide a clear mechanism for either those involved or the meta community to say: "Bad Scott, don't do that!".

@Harry, I can't see to get quote blocks working here. Any ideas?

Qiaochu Yuan comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6454)

Qiaochu Yuan — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 21:21:59 -0700

I think the copying was for transparency reasons.

jbl comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6453)

jbl — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 17:18:16 -0700

I don't object to the deletion, but I'm curious -- what purpose does deleting and copying it here serve? Is this just "preserved for posterity"? Would continuing the exchange be inappropriate?

Harry Gindi comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6451)

Harry Gindi — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:54:22 -0700

=( you scrolled my screen.

When you put it in a code block like that, it doesn't fit. Perhaps you should put it in a quote block?

Scott Morrison comments on "Deleted some off-topic comments" (6446)

Scott Morrison — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 11:19:34 -0700

I deleted the following comment thread from http://mathoverflow.net/questions/29499/yet-another-roadmap-style-request-a-second-bite-of-the-cherry.

@Andrew Man,cold on the GPA comment,Andrew. Then again,why he confessed to 2.1 when there are Ivy League graduates and professors attending this board and basically bent over to be
kicked is beyond me.......... – Andrew L 11 hours ago   

@Andrew L : He wasn't talking about GPA. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… – Andy Putman 3 hours ago  

Andrew L, since you seem to spend a fair amount of time with your comments getting criticized and/or being put on "probation," I have a suggestion for you: before you make a comment,
it might behoove you to consider how people reading your comment will receive it. For example, as far as I can tell, the only purpose of your second sentence is to irritate or insult
other members of MO. (I also think, based on your first sentence, that you have misread or misunderstood Andrew Stacey's comment and its context; but perhaps I'm the one who
misunderstands it.) – JBL 3 hours ago   

@JBL Sigh.That wasn't my purpose-but I can't win. I give up.I apologize for any offense.I don't even try and explain myself anymore,it's a waste of energy. – Andrew L 3 hours ago