[Pw_forum] PWSCF Netiquette: Please use some form of name / affiliation

[Stefano Baroni]

On Aug 25, 2006, at 6:11 PM, Konstantin Kudin wrote:

> --- Axel Kohlmeyer <akohlmey at cmm.upenn.edu> wrote:
>
>> On 8/24/06, Nicola Marzari <marzari at mit.edu> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Dear All,
>>>
>>>
>>> a modest proposal - it would be great if people were to identify
>>> themselves more explictly in these postings. This helps a lot in
>>> understanding the user base, the environment, and just in getting
>> to
>>> know you personally.
>>
>> seconded.
>
>  I disagree with this proposal. It seems that the choice of whether to
> reveal one's affiliation or not should definitely be with the poster,
> as it has been so far.

I disagree with your disagreement. I think that the point raised by  
Nicola is mainly a point of politeness that, as such, must not (nor  
could it) be enforced. There may well be very good reasons not be  
polite in some circumstances (even personal sensitivity: what sounds  
polite to me may not sound so to others!). Personally, I will  
continue to reply to posts that I find interesting whether or not  
they are "properly signed". I am sure that Nicola will do the same.  
Nevertheless, there is nothing wrong in letting other people know  
that for some of us signed correspondence is far more pleasant than  
anonymous one. Nothing more, nothing less than this.

>  In my view, if the points raised in a given posting are valid, then
> those can be considered on their own merit without any knowledge of  
> the
> poster's affiliation (or even real name). After all, we all gain from
> the improved understanding of the different aspects of our
> software/methods.

Sure. For this reason nobody thinks to enforce a formal signature.  
But I think that most of the subscribers to this mailing list will  
not object to sign their correspondence. If some of them ("of us")  
will prefer to continue to use nicknames, well ... please do!


Stefano

>
>  Alternatively, if a posting shows that there is little background in
> the field, then again affiliation is not really necessary, since
> generic pointers (such as "read the Solid State by xyz") do not  
> require
> any idea about user's background.
>
>  Kostya
>
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---
Stefano Baroni - SISSA  &  DEMOCRITOS National Simulation Center -  
Trieste
[+39] 040 3787 406 (tel) -528 (fax) / stefanobaroni (skype)

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