Re: OTN Tip of the week

Daniel Morgan <damorgan_at_x.washington.edu> wrote in message news:<1066584943.899603_at_yasure>...
> Mark Townsend wrote:
>
> > > find whoever is
>
> >> writing this stuff, and
> >> more importantly who is approving it for publication and thank them
> >
> >
> > The relevant people have been suitably thanked.

s/th/sp/g :-)

> >
> And therefore I thank you.
>
> Decades ago, when I submitted scientific papers for publication
> everything was reviewed before publication
> by several INDEPENDENT editors whose purpose was to make sure nothing
> went out that was not valid.
> It seems to me that it wouldn't be that difficult, nor that expensive,
> for Oracle to come up with a group of
> independent editors to read and comment on some of these materials
> before they are allowed to see the light
> of day. A quick search in these usenet groups would give you a good
> start. And there are quite a few colleges
> and universities that have Oracle programs too that could support such
> an endeavour.

That sounds good in theory, but... I think that's what the people that have been flamed in this group as publishing bad advice did. There may be a more fundamental problem of establishmentarianism too. Some independent person who goes out and tests a specific issue and finds something wrong may just be marginalized. The head of my department when I was an undergraduate had had that happen to him in the '60s (about a neuroscience experimental/procedural issue - of course, he turned out to be right, so that's partly why he was a department head). The experience may be common on the bleeding edge - not to mention there _are_ nutcases.

jg

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