[seqfan] It's not even "prejudice"

[Robert Munafo]

The word prejudice is being misused. "prejudice" means "preconceived opinion
that is not based on reason or actual experience". Given your James Cameron
example, it is clear you mean to imply both reason and experience.

You should at least be saying "bias", which implies reason but retains the
notion of unfairness. "judgment" or "view" is probably best in this
situation.

P.S. Given my bias against base related sequences I would edit that comment
to say:

  - The next term, if it exists, is at least 10^424

- Robert Munafo

On Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 05:06, Jack Brennen <jfb at brennen.net> wrote:

> The content isn't enough.  What if the comment is:
>
>    - The next term, if it exists, has at least 425 digits
>
> There are some people from whom I would take this as an
> undisputed fact, and then there are some others...
>
> Prejudice isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Prejudice is the
> reason that somebody will give James Cameron $200,000,000
> to go make a movie, but they won't give me $20.
>
> On 11/29/2010 9:15 AM, Alexander P-sky wrote:
> > The name should NOT be used as the foundation of the judgment
> > (otherwise it implies prejudice) - the judgment should be based on the
> > content of the comment instead.
> >
> > ARP
> >
> > On 11/29/10, N. J. A. Sloane<njas at research.att.com>  wrote:
> >> If you don't add your name after a formula, comment, program, reference,
> >> etc.,
> >> then it appears as if it were the work
> >> of the original author (because one rarely looks at the history).
> >>
> >> So unless the addition is trivial, then it is perfectly OK
> >> to sign it with one's name and date.
> >>
> >> In fact, the name is very useful in judging how significant
> >> a comment is.
> >>
> >> It enables the reader to tell at a glance whether the comment
> >> is likely to be significant, trivial, or even dubious.
> >>
> >> So YES to signing everything
> >>
> >> Neil
>
>


-- 
  Robert Munafo  --  mrob.com
 Follow me at: mrob27.wordpress.com - twitter.com/mrob_27 -
youtube.com/user/mrob143 - rilybot.blogspot.com