Re: cert discussion

[zwicky <zwicky@pterodactyl.neu.sgi.com>]

 >If the argument is that Usenix has money to burn for anybody
 >who's eager to spend it, we're in trouble.

The argument is that Usenix has the money to support anybody who has a
worthwhile project. Sure, people are still being turned down. You turn
something down because you already have a more worthwhile proposal in
hand. You turn something down because you have reason to believe
you're about to have a more worthwhile proposal. You turn things down
because you think they don't deserve to be done, that the requester
can't do them, or that they're outside USENIX' scope. But you don't
turn them down because you hope someday somebody might submit a
better proposal.

 >> If all you've got is a cart, why worry about where the horse would go
 >> if you had one? 

 >If you need to haul manure and somebody wants to sell you a cart
 >but there's no horse to be found, why would you buy the cart?

Ummm... because I'd rather haul the cart myself than leave the manure
sitting around? 

 >> But if someone offers me an ice cream cone, and all the ice cream
 >> they've got is vanilla, I don't turn it down just because I like
 >> peppermint-stick better. 

 >Even if vanilla makes you break out in hives?

Obviously not. That why "I think it's counterproductive" and "I think
it's morally wrong" are good reasons *not* to do certification. If it's
counterproductive or wrong, then let's not do it. If it's just pointless,
it makes people happy, so it's worth it. If it's an OK thing but not
the best thing, that's just fine -- it's the proposal on the table,
and pursuing it won't keep us from pursuing education as well.

	Elizabeth Zwicky
	zwicky@neu.sgi.com