3 ms·

I'm sorry, but I disagree. The very first sentence of the linked article is being criticized unfairly. People are claiming that the very first sentence is incom

I'm sorry, but I disagree. The very first sentence of the linked article is being criticized unfairly. People are claiming that the very first sentence is incomplete because it should explain pointer arithmetic and typing. Explaining what a pointer is by using the term "pointer" and explaining how to use one is a circular definition. A student who has never heard the term "pointer" before is going to be completely lost if the instructor jumps straight to "Pointer arithmetic works by increments of the size of the type of object to which the pointer points." If that is the first statement someone is exposed to, it will not make sense to them. I understand that someone may not like their proposal being called circular, but I don't think it's unfair or bad behavior to point it out. The linked-to article is well done. There are some minor errors, as have been pointed out elsewhere. However, I think the criticism in this thread of conversation is deeply negative in a hostile, nasty way.

Stratoscope 8y ago
Dan's request wasn't about the technical merit of your comments, it was about the style: > Nonsensical and circular. > Nonsensical and circular. > Circular. > You all can downvote me all you want, but you're still objectively wrong. If you feel that something is being criticized unfairly, you will win more people over to your point of view with civil and respectful conversation instead of flamebait. We can have different opinions about something and still have an enjoyable conversation and learn from each other, as long as we interpret each other charitably and have a sense of humor about it. Fair enough?
- torstenvl 8y ago
  I am all on board with being civil and respectful. It's the matter of application where I seem not to be of the same mind as some others. I don't want to belabor the point, but I don't agree with the way this played out. If you'd like to discuss further, my email is my username at GMail dot com. Otherwise, I'm going to let this lie.

Stratoscope 8y ago

Dan's request wasn't about the technical merit of your comments, it was about the style: > Nonsensical and circular. > Nonsensical and circular. > Circular. > You all can downvote me all you want, but you're still objectively wrong. If you feel that something is being criticized unfairly, you will win more people over to your point of view with civil and respectful conversation instead of flamebait. We can have different opinions about something and still have an enjoyable conversation and learn from each other, as long as we interpret each other charitably and have a sense of humor about it. Fair enough?

torstenvl 8y ago
I am all on board with being civil and respectful. It's the matter of application where I seem not to be of the same mind as some others. I don't want to belabor the point, but I don't agree with the way this played out. If you'd like to discuss further, my email is my username at GMail dot com. Otherwise, I'm going to let this lie.