[License-review] CC0 incompliant with OSD on patents, [was: MXM compared to CC0 ]

[Karl Fogel]

Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> writes:
>I applaud the sentiment, except I will politely point out that you will
>actually find no ad-hominem characteristion whatsoever in what I wrote
>that you have quoted above.   I asserted that a particular thing Bruce
>said has no merit, that public theatrics are not impressive, and that he
>should please knock it off.  
>
>If pointing out that someone has indulged public theatrics is 'ad
>hominem', then I am utterly delighted to have somehow warped into a
>painfully polite universe exceeding the fondest dreams of Judith Martin.
>Please advise if that has happened when I wasn't looking.

"Ad hominem" was too strong a description, you're right -- sorry for
exaggerating a bit.  

But it's not Judith Martin territory to suggest that some of these
expressions could be toned down, though, if the poster wants to --
including ones that aren't ad hominem but that still contain more
ridicule or disdain than is actually necessary to make the point.
That's all I was trying to say.

Each poster has to judge where that line is for them.  I'm merely
suggesting that people reconsider their current default calibrations,
since there is clearly a tendency for escalation to happen even though
any individual post is not necessarily the "single cause" of it.

I hope that makes what I was trying to say more clear.

Best,
-Karl