Clue (Re: A concept resurrected(?) - WG secretary?)

[Harald Tveit Alvestrand <harald@alvestrand.no>]

--On 13. oktober 2003 08:42 -0700 David Meyer <dmm@1-4-5.net> wrote:

> 	Uh, please stop using the term "clue". It is a derogatory
> 	and serves no purpose other than to maintain some kind of
> 	class system (and I'm reasonably sure that none of us
> 	really wants that). There is enough "real" negative stuff
> 	going on, and surely there are any number of positive
> 	ways to refer to the people who might make the best note
> 	takers.

David,
get a clue.
Or, in more neutral terms - I disagree with you. Strongly. Even after 
having thought about it.

When we have to say that someone doesn't understand something, that person 
may very well be insulted no matter how much we try to veil it. We still 
have to act on the fact.

The IETF isn't a nose-counting democracy. Uneven distribution of clue is 
one reason.

I'm sorry. If we waste our time trying to decide on "noninsulting" language 
for terms that have been in regular usage since before I joined the IETF, 
and in the process hide the meaning of what we are actually trying to say, 
we all lose.

[note - this may seem a frivolous use of mailing list bandwidth. But if we 
blindly accept people berating each other for use of language that is, in 
fact, reasonable, I think we also contribute to destroying our 
effectiveness at having an open discussion. That's the only reason why it 
matters.]

                    Harald