Since I caused all the new hoopla about this, I feel the need to comment. I posted a log of a (very interesting) conversation as a meditation recently for any who did not see Java vs. Perl from the CB (no CB log included). I did it because there have been nodes discussing the whole Java/Perl/other languages thing in the past, too many to list in fact (and after getting so thouroughly schooled after posting the discussion I won't even attempt to produce a partial list that may leave out what someone thinks is the salient point).

My feelings are that if something is interesting enough for people to say here it should be OK for others to read here. I am finding it very hard, despite both calm and angered explanations, to dicern where the real difference is between a statement made in the CB and one posted to a node. Yes, I know one is fleeting since there is no official CB log, but how does that really make it different. kudra actually had the best explanation for why there was no CB log in my opinion at Is it a good idea to log the chatterbox, where she states (paraphrasing here) that it is the trivial stuff and silly FAQ answers people give out that make the CB log a bad idea becaue 90% of the time it'll be boring as hell. I may have misunderstood what she meant, but I think that makes sense anyway.

What I don't understand is how someone might say something in the CB that they would not say in a node with regards to any real topic of conversation. "So you speak the same way in a bar and at a PTA meeting? huh?" No. I do not. (though not as differently as my wife would like) However, I do speak the same way in public forum of type A and public forum of type B. i.e. I do not treat any public forum, percieved to be fleeting or not, differently one from the other. If one is concerned about one's appearence anywhere, one need be concerned about it everywhere.

All this goes to the point that I do not see any reason that sometihng said in one place should not be able to be reproduced in another within the site so long as it is kept in context. Anyone who read my little log will tell you the conversation was complete (right down to me making a total ass of myself trying to speak german badly). To other matters, reproduction on other sites, changing context, using the materials hewre for profit, I too say no. I just don't see why posting a very interesting and well-rounded discussion on a topic everyone seems to have interest in should be a bad thing.

let the --ing begin. : )

update: someone just reminded me that I could have asked permission. They are right. I could have and probably should have. But, since I thought next to nothing of it at the time, I didn't. Next time, should I have the even more insane impulse to try and do this again, I will ask permission of all speaking parties first for sure - if only to be polite.

<myExperience>
$mostLanguages = 'Designed for engineers by engineers.';
$perl          = 'Designed for people who speak by a linguist.';
</myExperience>
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