Re: Standard for Stenography?

[Sergey Goldgaber <sergey@delbruck.pharm.sunysb.edu>]

On Wed, 2 Mar 1994, Jef Poskanzer replied to Gary Jeffers:

> I disagree with pretty much everything in your message, and since I'm the
> one who opened the topic and who is writing the code, my opinion would seem
> to count for quite a bit more than yours.  I'm not going to repeat the

> By the way, this discussion is an example of something I have labelled the
> "silence is invisible" phenomenon.

> Jef 

I think this "silence" has a good side.  I've only read this list
for a short time, but I already respect the oppinions of a few regulars.
I don't expect every idea I post to the list to be completely new (quite 
the opposite, usually).  The few replies I, and most other newbies, get are 
usually not very thought out, and have as many holes in them as the original 
suggestion.  We debate back and forth for a short while, but seem to be 
generally ignored.  The 'elders' on the list stay silent.

Its when those respected few regulars speak that my ears prick up.  I, for
one, haven't read all the literature on the subject.  So the oppinions of
someone who has are greatly valued.  If genuine intrest is shown in
something you've proposed it tells you that you're on the right track.
Input coming from the 'elders' is doubly important.

It would be nice if constructive, intelligent criticism was offered on
every post.  Unfortuantely, newbies tend to get flamed more often than
praised.  In that regard, I believe that the "silence" from those who 
know better is usually good.

If I recieved the sort of annoyed response that Gary Jeffers got from you
on one of my first post, I don't think I would have stuck around for long.
Perhaps some of the senior cypherpunks would prefer a moderated list
where all newbie discussion is nipped in the bud.  In that case, I 
suggest that they form the "eLyTe-cYpHeRpUnKs" list, and distribute it 
privately among themselves.  I believe that fresh blood is essential for 
the development of the "cypherpunks"; so, this route is not recommended.


Sergey