[R] R-help Digest, Vol 35, Issue 24

[François Pinard]

[Gabor Grothendieck]

>[...] this list is inhabited by some rather rude participants but
>everyone puts up with them in the hope that they do have some useful
>remarks.

I've been witnessing this list for about one year, and also read *lots* 
of archived messages.  While it is true that a few members do not use 
white gloves, are rather fond on concise replies, and do express strong 
opinions at times, they never went overboard insulting people and always 
kept a reasonable measure, at least so far that I could see (yet who 
knows, outliers might happen! :-).

(*) Our whole society is a bit shy and shivers easily when opinions are 
expressed nowadays, I often observed than people quickly get insecure,
feel attacked, and overreact (by running away or starting a fight).

>there is even a group of thought that feels it is a justifiable way to
>keep the list volume under control.

This may work because of the starred paragraph above, that is, for wrong 
reasons.  Best is, and this often occurs on the R list, when everything 
(facts, opinions) is being shared efficiently, without useless arguing.  
Then, threads quickly fade out.

-- 
François Pinard   http://pinard.progiciels-bpi.ca