[PLUG-TALK] MRC - Internet's Long Memory

Russell Senior seniorr at aracnet.com
Sat Feb 7 21:46:19 UTC 2009


>>>>> "glen" == glen e p ropella <gepr at ropella.net> writes:

Glen> I agree that people should credit the people they see as the
Glen> credit-worthy antecedents.

glen> Then we agree.  Plagiarism is bad.

I guess it's on the matter of degree we might disagree.  It just
doesn't register very high on my outrage-meter.  I'd also argue that
intent matters.  For it to be egregious, there must be an intent to
mislead.

This is distinct from misrepresenting what someone else has
expressed.  That is at least a different category, if not a different
transgression altogether than taking credit for other peoples work.

I assume these things have names, but I confess ignorance of what they
are.  Moreover, I have no idea who might have invented them, so I
won't be able to credit those responsible. ;-)

 A) "I think $foo" (intentionally omitting that someone else expressed
     the thought previously); and

 B) "That person said $baz" (when they really said $bar)

In full generality, I think (A) happens practically every time we take
a breath, if you subtract "intentionally", which makes me nervous when
we say it is bad.  

Consider the perpetual injustice that transpires when some loudmouth
famous person gets the credit (because books say he said it) instead
of the introvert that whispered in his ear and was the true genius,
but never got any credit at all.  Maybe just repeating what you've
found holds up to reality, and skipping credit-giving is a better way
to go.  If someone cares who gets credit, maybe they should look it up
themselves?

I think (B) is fully dishonest in the cases that $bar and $baz differ
substantially in meaning, and isn't just a paraphrase.

glen> [...] The point being, that you can't just point it out (once)
glen> in a subtle voice and then declare "problem solved".  You have
glen> to be emphatic and thoroughly trounce the issue.

I gather that your emphatic and thorough trouncing is being
accomplished now? ;-)


-- 
Russell Senior         ``I have nine fingers; you have ten.''
seniorr at aracnet.com



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