Bickering/defamation (off topic/short), "See" and "Utilize", Voice recognition experiences please, Documenting A Moving Target

[David Ibbetson <ibbetson -at- IDIRECT -dot- COM>]

Chris Hulin asks:
Does anyone know how the law (of any country) views insults traded over mail
lists? Can you libel or defame someone by posting personal attacks on a
more-or-less public list?

I'm no lawyer, but I would imagine posting stuff to a list is similar to
physically pinning it up on a board in someone's office, public library,
community centre, church hall or whatever.
------------end of quote---------------------
In the UK and, I think, in Canada if it's public enough it's libel. I think
this list has a big enough circuation to have that effect. Of course if it's
something I wrote it was justified/fair comment on a matter of public
concern &c.

Just remember I AM NOT A LAWYER.
============================================
Kent Newton writes:
Unfortunately _v_ (which is short for the latin _vide_ [imperative form
of "see"]) will really be understood only by educated readers. <omission>
 I work with many bright people who confuse two of the more common
conventions: i.e., (_id est_ "that is," used to denote an further
explanation of a previous statement) and e.g. (_exempli gratia_ "for
example," used to introduce an example of the previous statemet).
-------------end of abbreviated quote-------------------------

I wrote
>It will be readily understood by many people whose first language isn't
>English.
with intent.

I would not expect a speaker of a Romance language to have any difficulty
with v.

e.g. and i.e. aren't confused in the UK, but are regularly confused in North
America. I can't understand why. Does this happen in other English speaking
countries? What about "Australasia", South Africa, India?
=========================================
   Tommy Trussel asks about voice recognition experiences.

I read a story recently about somebody who because of RSI tried one of these
voice recognition systems. Each word had to be pronounced separately. The
experimenter was reported to have lost his/her voice. I DO NOT KNOW which
system this was.
=================================================
 Documenting A Moving Target:

The problem isn't new. I used to work in a division that built one-offs with
a computer somewhere in the middle. However good the simulator you couldn't
finish the software until the hardware's finished and you couldn't finish
thehardware and software manuals until after the hardware and software
respectively are finished.
I was with the software people at that time. We used to include an item for
software test and revision on the final hardware. The same approach is
needed for manuals.
=============================================

David (the idiot werewolf) Ibbetson



David Ibbetson           Phone:    (416) 363-6692
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