Apology from Richard Dawkins (Yes Really).

[klr]

Pure speculation of course but the problem with the search engine has been going on for quite a while and that smacks of database problems......was Josh over his head????

Quite likely. In fact, very likely.

Better to nuke and start over instead of owning up to the inability to adress the problems

That, and the fact that he never really had much time (if any) for the forum. Also, by starting anew, he could parade his own software skills, except that wasn't the solution that was required.

It's not like these technical issues were new and strikes me they were using pretty old versions of software it appeared.

Bog standard forum package (phpBB), database system (MySQL) and operating system (Linux). I checked, and the RD.net forum was far from being the biggest forum on the internet using phbBB + MySQL. Obviously, it could be done.

it's 2010 for fucks sake...RD leaves on tour... incompetent tech covers tracks with nuclear strike freezing the problem for good.
??

Serious organisational deficiencies, starting right at the top. RD is hardly the worldly type when it comes to management. This has been evident for years.

[AshtonBlack]

Twitter topic split off.

Here: http://rationalia.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 46#p370746

[Blondie]

That was all that was needed. Thanks Richard.

Apparently pawiz is an "obsequious poster"

[M]

That was all that was needed. Thanks Richard.

Apparently pawiz is an "obsequious wanker"

Fixed

[klr]

Pawiz has been described as obsequious:

http://avangelism.com/blog/avangelism/t ... pologizes/

I’m obligated to acknowledge that an apology has been made. I’m not obligated to unthinkingly accept it, like the obsequious poster at rationalia saying, “That was all that was needed. Thanks Richard.”

Pawiz. Obsequious.









EDIT: Snap!

[Ayaan]

http://richarddawkins.net/articleCommen ... e10#465432

I finally posted something. Decided there was no point in arguing with anyone about anything. Just remember, I suffer from a terminal, incurable case of niceness.)

[Blondie]

For added chuckles you can see InYourFaceNewyorker and I having a little lovers spat on that same page - carried over from ratskep.org

[Dr. Kwaltz]

That was a rather uninformative and ignorant response again from RD.

There is not a snowballs chance in hell a new forum will be up and running in a few weeks without any form of extensive testing. At best, whatever new is put into production, will fail miserably, at worst, it will fail completely.

A system that is capable of serving up to and above 80000 users is not something you put together lefthanded on a Sunday afternoon while catching a game on TV.

My take is that they have nothing to put in place when the date comes around but if something is in place, it will be a disaster. I'm open to bets!

[Thinking Aloud]

The thing I wonder about the new format is how, if at all, it would cater for one of the most important aspects of the forum's purpose (to my mind): welcoming closet atheists in hostile places, or indeed the newly-deconverted in search of solace.

The number of people welcomed on the forum in those circumstances was heartening; I wonder if the atheistic aspects of RD's work are being downplayed now that TGD is old news, and Science and Reason (in a scientific way) brought to the fore more.

[HomerJay]

There’s no doubt Dawkins had to implement some sort of damage limitation exercise

I agree, it's very difficult to see this as anything else and I doubt RD understands the damage that has been done to his reputation and integrity, although his understanding seems to be growing.

The whole situation has been caused by JT's immaturity and there can be no doubt that JT must have provided RD with the information that triggered the 'Outrage' mistake. Two strikes so far, is it three and out?

RD needs to consider how he has allowed a situation to pertain that has resulted in a single individual being able to cause so much damage to him and devise a strategy that will prevent something similar occuring again.

[Ayaan]

The thing I wonder about the new format is how, if at all, it would cater for one of the most important aspects of the forum's purpose (to my mind): welcoming closet atheists in hostile places, or indeed the newly-deconverted in search of solace.

The number of people welcomed on the forum in those circumstances was heartening; I wonder if the atheistic aspects of RD's work are being downplayed now that TGD is old news, and Science and Reason (in a scientific way) brought to the fore more.

For some atheist in hostile places, the only other atheist they probably know of is Richard Dawkins. From what I've seen, I doubt there's going to be room on the new discussion area for a Saudi atheist to find like minds or a 14 year-old atheist with fundamentalist parents to get advice.

[maiforpeace]

http://richarddawkins.net/articleCommen ... e10#465432

I finally posted something. Decided there was no point in arguing with anyone about anything. Just remember, I suffer from a terminal, incurable case of niceness.)

And that's why we wuv's you.

We can argue and wax on about what could be or should be until the cows come home, but RD has now put this behind him and probably won't be too interested in any more constructive criticism.

[Ayaan]

http://richarddawkins.net/articleCommen ... e10#465432

I finally posted something. Decided there was no point in arguing with anyone about anything. Just remember, I suffer from a terminal, incurable case of niceness.)

And that's why we wuv's you.

We can argue and wax on about what could be or should be until the cows come home, but RD has now put this behind him and probably won't be too interested in any more constructive criticism.

For me that was a way to draw a line under it. I may actually go visit the new set up just to see what it looks like and how it functions, but I won't be posting there.

[klr]

http://richarddawkins.net/articleCommen ... e10#465432

I finally posted something. Decided there was no point in arguing with anyone about anything. Just remember, I suffer from a terminal, incurable case of niceness.)

And that's why we wuv's you.

We can argue and wax on about what could be or should be until the cows come home, but RD has now put this behind him and probably won't be too interested in any more constructive criticism.

For me that was a way to draw a line under it. I may actually go visit the new set up just to see what it looks like and how it functions, but I won't be posting there.

Ditto. Even if it came with no negative baggage, I'd still have little time for it. A proper forum is where I want to be.

[Boadacia!]

For me that was a way to draw a line under it. I may actually go visit the new set up just to see what it looks like and how it functions, but I won't be posting there.

By what I've been reading around the Net., and his front page, he'll not be too worried about most of us, and there's always some creeping and sucking up who've read nothing, and know nothing, and even some that have read some, but still love to creep, just because of the name.

I suppose it's that selfish gene again making sure they weren't executed in the past when the Catholics were even more bonkers than now, and maybe creeping and arse licking guaranteed survival?