Useless Noise

This is the place for any magazine-related discussions that don't fit in any of the column discussion boards below.
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anonymouscoward
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Useless Noise

Post by anonymouscoward »

Hello all, as a curtesy toward the community, I have posted this page, "Useless Noise" as a place to post, believe it or not, useless noise.<p>Instead of polluting meaningful conversations in other threads with mindless chattering and bickering, please, use this thread as a place for that type of conversation.<p>If a thread is hijacked by someone who insists on taking the discussion off of the original topic, please gently suggest to them that they take that aspect of the conversation to "useless noise."<p>Thank you for kindly keeping on topic. The discussion for this topic is Useless Noise. Therefore, meaningful conversation is not appropriate here. Please start a new conversation for meaningful discussions.<p>Your humble servant, Anonymous Coward<p>[ September 22, 2005: Message edited by: Anonymous Coward ]</p>
Dean Huster
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Re: Useless Noise

Post by Dean Huster »

Trouble is, like most face-to-face conversations, a topic often splits and gets off-track. Things happen, and I'm sure that we all add to it at times. I know I do. Most of the time, it's hard to start another thread because a lot of the preliminary dialog that lead up to the new topic is lost as is the momentum.<p>There was a recent thread on the EPE forum where I suggested that the OP start a new thread on a subject that he'd mentioned in passing but was too priceless to just let fall by the wayside, and that new thread worked out pretty well. But that was a case where there was virtually no "background" to lose in the switch.<p>And there have been similar times on this forum where I've suggested to the OP that he restate the question in a new thread to guide the conversation back on track. As I recall, that was a thread where the OP had worded his question that invited all sorts of humorous comments. That's sure bait for me, I'll admit, although I wasn't the first one to bite.<p>Dean
Dean Huster, Electronics Curmudgeon
Contributing Editor emeritus, "Q & A", of the former "Poptronics" magazine (formerly "Popular Electronics" and "Electronics Now" magazines).

R.I.P.
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Chris Smith
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Re: Useless Noise

Post by Chris Smith »

Noise yes, useless, to whom?<p>Every one has the chance to learn something from a side line conversation. I like to be literal about my answers and welcome dissent from the lower ranks. That’s how they learn, by challenging the statements. <p>Yes, hijacking does occur, and sorry for that.<p>The only time it becomes “useless” is if no one learns from the conversation.<p> I know My flack is met by scrambling to the “google engine” and that is one form of an education, limited but none the less a education.<p> Dissent is what makes the country great, and even this forum. <p>But Yes, sorry for the distraction to some one else’s thread, it can swing far to the right or left, and still be of some use. <p>Hijacking is never the intention, just the result. It just ends up that way.
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Dave Dixon
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Re: Useless Noise

Post by Dave Dixon »

Dissent from the "lower ranks"? Those who disagree with MY opinion can often be wrong, but still can be more intelligent in the long run, and even, if not more intelligent, still deserve my respect. I find it insulting to be referred to in that fashion.
I too, try to stay out of the sidebars, and keep to the original topic. As Dean mentioned, after the "S" gets so deep (5 or 6 pages sometimes) a new thread might loose much of it's important side info. But it is so tempting, and I can't always avoid it. I had more, but have more important things to do right now. Excuse any typos, no time to double check and edit now. Respectfully,
Dave
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Chris Smith
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Re: Useless Noise

Post by Chris Smith »

The only thing I see as important is not the ego, but rather the learning. <p>If you learned that its called the pound foot, and not the foot pound for example, then you know one more thing in life you didn’t know the day before.<p> I for one don’t spread conjecture, I merely repeat what I was taught as being correct and what is clearly in all of the physics books as well as the history books. <p>The “lower ranks” is not an insult, it’s a fact based on the question I put forth,... “Do you have a degree, or are you just playing with your self”, a question that I posed to all involved or concerned. <p>Reading no responses to the question, I take it that its all a game by those pretending to challenge the physics books with out cause, experience or knowledge.
terri
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Re: Useless Noise

Post by terri »

Aw, jeeze.<p>
We've gone through this before and I guess we'll go through it again. And again. A quote from Yogi Berra comes to mind.<p>
The upshot of the last couple of go-rounds on this topic were:<p>
1. We don't need a moderator.<p>
2. A lot of the diversion is caused by insufficient initial information by the querent.<p>
3. A lot of polemic is generated by authoritarian personalities who think their way is always correct.<p>
4. Most (not all) of the time, diversions are rather entertaining and usually informative, even though they may be off topic.<p>
5. If you don't like the way a thread is headed, you can always scan-and-skip to the next relevant postng (although sometimes this may be two pages later. Or more.)<p>
6. Nobody's getting paid for this, and it is not a classroom setting --although I must admit I usually learned more in classes where the prof was challenged. (There are darned few profs who have enough self-assurance to allow that --bless their hearts.)<p>
Ah, well.....<p>[ September 22, 2005: Message edited by: terri ]</p>
terri wd0edw
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Chris Smith
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Re: Useless Noise

Post by Chris Smith »

Now that some one has started a separate thread, just for this kinda thing so we don’t hijack some one else’s thread, we complain? <p>I prefer the amusement to be on a separate thread just like this one. <p>Keeps every one happy. <p>We could call it the “bitch” thread, no?
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