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Re: 100,000 posts!

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg100403] Re: 100,000 posts!
  • From: meitnik <meitnik at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 06:49:05 -0400 (EDT)
  • References: <gv7qt0$aqc$1@smc.vnet.net>

Coming to the party somewhat late... Congrats Steve!

As for John's Fultz's comments, I am very grateful for the time on and
off list he has helped me to fully enjoy using and learning
Mathematica. In my past experience, being disabled often means people
first consider me rather negatively both in my body and mind; hence,
getting the chance and tools to empower me to explore and develop my
talents/skills/dreams are usually withheld or denied. John (and others
on the list) has shown a deeper truth about Math: its about trying to
solve a problem -- sometimes together -- not about the person. I was
respected for my quest to solve Gui problems not anything else
personally and be trusted to handle clues as much a newbie could (and
am still studying)!. And finally, it is a testament of the hard work
done for version 7 that allows me to do math after 25 years and 8
intense weeks of coding and learning. Thank you WRI.


On May 22, 11:34 pm, John Fultz <jfu... at wolfram.com> wrote:
> I'd like to give a big thanks to Steve, too, as well as recognize one of =
the
> benefits of his work that may not be obvious to a lot of people.  Steve=
 has
> provided a unique area where Wolfram staffers and Mathematica users can c=
ommune.
> This not only pushes more information out of the company and into the han=
ds of
> users, it also directly impacts the development directions the company an=
d its
> developers choose to take Mathematica in.
>
> I've talked to several people from Wolfram who post here.  Most have ve=
ry
> little time.  They read this forum and post to it in their free time, n=
ot as a
> requirement (or even recommendation) of their job description.  Without=
 an
> environment which promotes the kind of civil and almost uniquely
> Mathematica-focused discourse that goes on here, most would have found be=
tter
> uses for their time.
>
> Here, people with questions can feel safe to ask them without being haras=
sed or
> insulted by so-called experts.  Experts (both in and outside of Wolfram=
) can
> feel safe to answer questions without the need to defend themselves from =
the
> typical partisanship, brinksmanship, and general childishness which resul=
ts in
> something like Godwin's Law being accepted as an inevitable part of Inter=
net
> discourse.  Occasionally, people have expressed concern that moderation=
 has
> stifled conversation.  On the contrary, I claim; it enables conversatio=
ns which
> would never, ever happen in the presence of your typical Internet
> rabble-rousers.
>
> Speaking as a developer, I have two primary ways to interact directly wit=
h
> users.  One is the annual Wolfram conference, which only lets me talk w=
ith
> a very narrow slice of users and for only four days a year.  The other =
is this
> forum.  I've learned a lot here about how people use Mathematica, and t=
hat
> knowledge feeds back into the product.  Wolfram has a fine crew of tech=
nical
> support and sales people who are on the front line with customers, but th=
ings
> inevitably get muffled by the time they reach developers...just as in the
> child's game of Telephone.  Here, we hear you loud and clear.
>
> Without Steve's efforts, I wouldn't be here.  Thanks, Steve.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> John Fultz
> jfu... at wolfram.com
> User Interface Group
> Wolfram Research, Inc.



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