tea.mathoverflow.net - Discussion Feed ("Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?)

AndrewL comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (13200)

2011-02-09T09:46:18-08:00

Sigh.I can't win. I'm disappearing again until I have actual research,take care.

deane.yang comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (13123)

2011-02-06T20:25:54-08:00

I'd like to suggest that even if you take offense at anything AndrewL says, it might be better to let it pass.

Noah Snyder comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (13122)

2011-02-06T19:40:27-08:00

I thought the plan was to only allow one "AndrewL complaining about MO policy" thread and stop new ones from being opened.

Mariano comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (13121)

2011-02-06T18:42:49-08:00

You were not being run out of here on a rail. You do need to work on your not-offending-people-online skills, Andrew. Elsewhere.

AndrewL comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (13120)

2011-02-06T15:37:54-08:00

@Qiaochu I was joking to try and make more pleasant a very unpleasant situation. I have not enjoyed being run out of here on a rail, trust me. The fact I've been avoiding the website for the most part before this shows I HAVE indeed been listening.This is not my site and I didn't respect the rules.Hence,I wasn't welcome anymore. And it doesn't mean a damn what I think or feel about it,does it? Everyone is always welcome at my blog regardless of what they say there-just to show I bear no ill will to anyone in here.
@Deane,Todd I have indeed been attempting to make progress on the mathematics only-hence my absence from this site with the exception of this question. I intend to vanish again now until I have something truly substantial mathematically to say. Adieu.

Todd Trimble comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12989)

2011-02-01T07:55:09-08:00

Deane, I agree with you here. Many people believe there is too much chat as is at MO, and there's certainly a great deal of noise coming from people who are young or inexperienced. Making all that noise definitely doesn't help, and could hurt, one's career prospects. I hope AndrewL pays heed to that, and concentrates on making progress in his mathematics.

deane.yang comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12988)

2011-02-01T06:06:18-08:00

Todd, you make a valid objection to what I said. What I really should have said is that a site like MO is a wonderful forum for young mathematicians to ask questions and learn a lot of mathematics but a young mathematician (i.e., before tenure) should be wary of expressing subjective views and judgments in any public forum such as MO. AndrewL's attempts to contribute to MO have too often been him expressing opinions about one thing or another, rather than asking or explaining some mathematics.

Qiaochu Yuan comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12987)

2011-02-01T01:57:44-08:00

Andrew, I take offense to your rhetoric. The fact that you still think the disciplinary actions taken against you were some kind of mindless, animal punishment shows that you haven't actually been listening to the words anyone's been saying and asking yourself whether they make sense or not. If you can't even acknowledge that several prominent mathematicians have taken pains to carefully communicate to you some reasonable professional advice and continue to demonize them, then I don't know why you expect to have your own opinions taken seriously.

Anton Geraschenko comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12986)

2011-01-31T22:55:57-08:00

Please only post mathematics. When you post your opinions (usually about books and mathematicians), it too often results in misunderstanding, fighting, and frustration. I believe that your intentions are to be civil and on topic, but something about how you interact with the rest of MO makes your opinions nucleation centers for uncivil and off topic material. This phenomenon is surprisingly robust, which is why we've asked you to stick to mathematics rather than opinion.

I feel like I'm telling a little kid to eat his vegetables, but I actually think like the problem I mentioned above might be alleviated a bit if you just do mathematics for a while. Doing the mathematics is the actual point of MO. Soft opinion threads are sort of a byproduct. Focusing heavily on them is like being a cook at a restaurant, but only showing up for the cigarette breaks.

Mariano comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12985)

2011-01-31T22:49:43-08:00

What possible point did that comment have?

AndrewL comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12984)

2011-01-31T22:44:23-08:00

@Sean See,negative operant conditioning IS effective. Burn a rat when he presses the "wrong" pedal enough times and eventually,he'll avoid going near it.

sean tilson comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12983)

2011-01-31T19:43:58-08:00

@Andrew: I just wanted to say +1 for asking here before posting on MO. Good call since it is hard to do the wrong thing in the eyes of others when you ask for their input and heed it.

AndrewL comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12963)

2011-01-31T09:35:16-08:00

@Deane,Todd Thanks. I really have been trying to avoid this site for the time being after what happened-unfair or not. I plan on keeping a running journal at my blog when I begin preparing for my oral qualifying exams for my master's degree,which I NEED to take in May and hope I can get the department to sign off on. Everyone in MO is invited to come read and comment once that begins in earnest.

(Except for a few trolls who began harrassing me on Facebook a few weeks ago and went by the monikers Carl Guass and Laurent Schwartz, as "symbols of how superior we are to someone who obviously has no talent" and "is a glorified high school teacher". I don't know who they were and frankly I didn't care,but it was a little disconcerting.)

Todd Trimble comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12961)

2011-01-31T06:54:33-08:00

@Deane: in my opinion, that advice (to any graduate student) is really harsh and unrealistic. Graduate students, new PhDs, etc., should not disappear from public view, but should be encouraged to speak at seminars, conferences, etc. on their work. That much is obvious. I also think that graduate students and advanced undergraduates can profit immensely by participating in public discussions on sites like Math Overflow, Secret Blogging Seminar, etc., and not only in the technical discussions. (People like Qiaochu and Martin Brandenburg instantly come to mind, and there are hundreds more like them.)

On the other hand, if a person has a history of publicly annoying other people, the advice to keep the head down low for a while, and learn from one's social mistakes, obviously makes a lot of sense from a career point of view.

deane.yang comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12960)

2011-01-31T06:23:55-08:00

AndrewL, although I think Gerhard's advice is sound, my advice to you is to keep your head down, focus on your studies, and say as little as possible publicly. You effectively want to disappear from public view until after you have your Ph.D. and established a solid position within the academic math community (this usually means having tenure but if things go really well, it could be sooner than that). And I have to say that I would give that advice to *any* graduate student and not just you. If you use MathOverflow at all, it should be to ask and answer technical math questions only. Expressions of subjective views only risk annoying someone unnecessarily.

grp comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12959)

2011-01-30T20:25:17-08:00

You could post your response here and ask if it is appropriate. This time however, if the answer is no, then you should withdraw without answering. I don't think anyone has more time to analyze and point out to you the same things which were problematic before.

Gerhard "Ask Me About System Design" Paseman, 2011.01.30

AndrewL comments on ""Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)"-Can I respond?" (12955)

2011-01-30T19:21:41-08:00

I'm aiming this question to the moderators.I've been trying to avoid this website,as I said I would,until I have some actual research to talk about. I check the threads posted,but I've been steadfastly avoiding commenting to keep my word. I'd REALLY love to post something at this thread though-even though it's strictly speaking not a research question.Can I do so this time a) As long as I'm civil and b) keep it short and stay on topic? I feel like a little kid asking to go potty doing this. But I really need to ask the moderators for permission,given my history of trouble here. Andrew L.