Anybody who uses computers is relevant to talk about how they are made and legislated. Being a researcher, or any of the other roles you mention, doesn't give y

Anybody who uses computers is relevant to talk about how they are made and legislated. Being a researcher, or any of the other roles you mention, doesn't give you relevance. What gives you relevance is what you say, and saying isn't limited to authority figures. If he needs to STFU, then do you not also need to similarly STFU? Coz what authority or relevance do you have to speak about CD that CD doesn't have to speak about computers? As for refusing to brainlessly applaud, what you're actually doing is brainlessly shouting him down, which is basically the same thing in the opposite direction and not intellectually superior in any way.