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Re: A small, slightly meta-, question

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On 10/03/2021 14:51, Malcolm McLean wrote:
> On Wednesday, 10 March 2021 at 08:18:19 UTC, Mark Bluemel wrote:
>> Is there any value in trying to understand Pete Olcott's posts?
>>
> If you don't know anything about Turing machines or the halting problem, 
> then there's a value in finding out, though it won't have many implications
> for practical C programming. However Peter Olcott's discussions are not
> the best introduction. If Peter Olcott's ideas spark an interest in computational
> theory, then that's all to the good.
> 

It's not a matter of Olcott's posts ("discussions" is too grand a term
for them) being the "best introduction" - they have no use whatsoever as
an introduction.  One of the biggest problems he has is this obsession
with x86 systems instead of using Turing machines - I think it has led
him down a blind alley.

> If you do have a basic understanding of these things, then there's maybe
> a value in understanding where someone is coming from. Communication
> and social skills are very important in professional programming, which is
> usually collaborative. 
> 

If Olcott tried to collaborate, then I'd agree.  But he has no interest
in reading or understanding what people say, or discussing anything in a
collaborative manner - he just posts the same errors and
misunderstandings again and again, and provides no answers to people's
questions or challenges.  This is combined with a total lack of
consideration for the groups he posts in, their conventions, preferences
and topicality.

I'm happy with interesting discussions on computational theory (though
they are off-topic in this group, I believe the occasional related topic
thread is okay), but after having tried to follow his posts, and tried
to engage him, I have to conclude that his posts are pointless.

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A small, slightly meta-, question Mark Bluemel <mark.bluemel@gmail.com> - 2021-03-10 00:18 -0800
  Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2021-03-10 00:20 -0800
    Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2021-03-11 21:24 +0000
      Re: A small, slightly meta-, question om@iki.fi (Otto J. Makela) - 2021-03-15 14:40 +0200
  Re: A small, slightly meta-, question "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2021-03-10 00:30 -0800
  Re: A small, slightly meta-, question David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2021-03-10 10:04 +0100
    Re: A small, slightly meta-, question "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2021-03-10 20:40 -0800
    Re: A small, slightly meta-, question John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2021-03-11 06:42 +0000
      Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2021-03-11 10:48 +0000
        Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Manfred <noname@add.invalid> - 2021-03-11 16:04 +0100
          Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2021-03-11 21:57 +0000
        Re: A small, slightly meta-, question John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2021-03-12 06:29 +0000
  Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2021-03-10 05:51 -0800
    Re: A small, slightly meta-, question David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2021-03-10 16:03 +0100
  Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2021-03-10 15:50 +0100
    Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@g{oogle}mail.com> - 2021-03-10 17:53 +0300
      Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Dolores Filandro <dolfiland8@gmail.com> - 2021-03-13 18:49 -0800
    Re: A small, slightly meta-, question "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2021-03-10 20:41 -0800
  Re: A small, slightly meta-, question Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2021-03-10 08:54 -0700
  Re: A small, slightly meta-, question "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2021-03-14 19:33 -0700

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