I'm faced with quite a dilemma at the moment. There seems to be lots of misinformation going around, apparently mixed with a heady dose of outright lies.
On the one hand, I'd like to try to clear it all up (even though, really, I know that the world doesn't work that way, and that I wouldn't actually be able to).
On the other hand, though, to even try to do so would involve violating two principles I believe in:
1) Don't publicise disputes whilst you're trying to resolve them.
2) Don't publish private emails.
Even though some people seem to not believe in these principles, or at least don't follow them, for now I'm going to stick by them.
The complete disregard for number 2 in many quarters makes it difficult for me to even chat to people privately about a lot of these things at the moment.
So, for now at least, it looks like everyone will just have to choose whether or not to believe the gossip. And I'll just have to continue to be surprised at some of the people who do.
Re:Private Emails
brian_d_foy on 2005-08-02T05:43:25
Indeed. You can publish the email I sent you too. I have nothing to hide.Re:Private Emails
sigzero on 2005-08-02T12:24:14
Ditto, although we don't chat privately so the point is moot. : )
Personally, I've got one issue, and if you'd like to clear it up, that'd be great, but if not, that's your prerogative. Certain people are saying that you threatened to sue use Perl because of certain things that were said on it.
Now that's entirely inappropriate, because use Perl does not exert any control over the content created by its users. I don't know if there have been any submissions on the subject, but you will note that not a single front page article about the tussle has occured. You should well know that individual users control and are responsible for their journal entries and comments.
It's further inappropriate because of the age old adage: "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." How can somebody saying something cause you harm? If it is untrue, refute it. If it is merely opinion, point that out. Threatening to sue is ludicrous, and if you're going to sue, threatening the owner of the room in which the conversation occurred rather than the conversant is even more ludicrous. This is just a big empty room where people can talk. Address the talking, not the room.
Now the CDBI mailing list was your room, so you had plenty of right to kick out anyone you wanted. And I might concede you had some right to sue someone who continued to attempt to break into the room. But I think you would have been better served by looking for a technological solution to the problem. And I don't think you get any say over who comes into this room, use Perl.
I'm with the previous poster who said your dignified silence is not helping matters much. I'll note that pudge hasn't published any private correspondence between him and you, but he has given you permission to do so. If you want to clear up the rumors about you allegedly suing use Perl, that'd be great. And if you did the wrong thing and want to say "never mind," or let the issue quietly fade into obscurity, I think that'd be great, too.
So, for now at least, it looks like everyone will just have to choose whether or not to believe the gossip. And I'll just have to continue to be surprised at some of the people who do.
If you choose not to say anything, people will gravitate towards believing the "gossip". That is human nature. So you shouldn't be surprised by anything that is said or written on the subject if you choose not to present your side and/or make a statement on the current circumstances.
