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There has recently been some sort of concord, between Frank and me, about
aspects of star-star distances, and also about the effects of magnification
on eye danger. That seemed an unnatural state of affairs, and here I am
bringing it to an end.

Instead, I wish to deal with a matter of list-courtesy. It's a matter I have
raised before, to no avail, about Frank Reed's postings.

When putting together a posting to Navlist, my own practice, and I suggest
that of most other contributors, is to download any waiting postings just
before pressing "send", to see if the same point has recently been made by
another. If so, either I desist from sending, as there's no point in
cluttering the list with the same matter being repeated. Or I may wish to
expand on, or endorse, or argue with, what's been said already, in which
case I acknowledge the previous contribution, usually providing a
message-number as a handy link to it. Sometimes, I fail, but that's the aim.

Frank's recent postings illustrate his own practice. Whether or not the same
thing has been said by another, Frank goes ahead and says it again, without
acknowledgment. Frank, read your own mailing-list, before you press send.
Acknowledge what's been said before, if you're going to repeat it. Do as the
rest of us seem to manage to do. It's common courtesy, to the list as a
whole.

==========================

Another matter of common courtesy is the introduction of personal stuff into
what ought to be technical content.

Those words, in [6761], "A sure indication that you have never tried it!"
were unwise and provocative.

In [8794], he's at it again, with -
"But you haven't really tried anything, have you? Have you experimented with
measuring a complete set of angles around the horizon (another method of
checking arc error)? Have you tried observing lunars (still another method
which many people find more successful than star-star disstances)? Ya know,
everybody is entitled to an opinion, but opinions should be based on
empirical facts, not speculations."

Other listmembers manage to say what they think, without resorting to such
language. There are better ways to say such things. As list manager, Frank
should be setting a hetter example.

Frank's references to Douglas' political interests were completely
irrelevant to any question of navigation, demonstrating no more than Frank's
readiness to make and misuse a Google search.

As far as factual matters relevant to navigation are concerned, we should be
quite ruthless in exposing and correcting error, though we should do our
best to avoid being offensive in doing so. It's a difficult line to tread.
End of sermon.

George.

contact George Huxtable, at  george@hux.me.uk
or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.




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