Letters to the editor

The FUD-based Encyclopedia

Dear Editor,
 
  
 
I have just read Aaron Krowne's rather hysterical article in Free
Software Magazine #2, rebutting my criticisms of the Wikipedia project.
Mr. Krowne lives, it seems, in a much more dramatic world than do I. I
do wish to thank him for the compliment (even if not intended as such)
of putting me into such distinguished company as that of Messrs.
Ballmer, McBride, Ellison, and McNealy. My first thought on seeing that
he had done so was, naturally, that now perhaps I, too, might be rich
and famous, or at least that I might be invited to one of those
high-flown international conferences they are always addressing. Alas,
it is not to be, for Mr. Krowne has sent the scouts in the wrong
direction. The photo he imposes upon the mugshots of the other four is
not me. Evidently, Mr. Krowne did a Google image search on my name and
selected the first hit. A single further click would have revealed that
the man pictured is a former executive with VideoDisc and now a lawyer
and professor. Frankly, I'm surprised they don't teach this digital
research trick at Emory University. On the other hand, it does seem
quite Wikipedian.
 
  
 
Mr. Krowne's argument consists of little more than a restatement of the
faith I questioned. The substance is captured perfectly in the graph
labeled "A hypothetical chart...". A more honest caption would have read
"If we had data relevant to the question, and if my unsupported prior
beliefs are somehow correct, then a graph of that data might conceivably
look something like this." To which one can only respond, Well, yes, it
might. Mr. Krowne's article is not the least useful response to mine
that I have seen, but it is the most elaborately silly.
 
  
 
Robert McHenry
 
 

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