[gmx-developers] FW: Gromacs quotes

[Mirco Wahab]

Am 17.12.2012 10:56, wrote Mark Abraham:
> I agree there are some quotes that can be thought sexist, in poor taste,
> etc. That can vary from person to person, and change over time, so while
> I'm all up for bringing an occasional smile to a face, it is never worth
> doing so at cost to a frown ever.
>
> Unfortunately, some bright spark decided to keep the quote database in a
> binary push-only stack format (IIRC from when I looked at it a few years
> ago with the view to removing some sexist quotes then). I could see no
> way to get a whole-of-list output, never mind change the list in the
> back end. Obviously one could harvest the list with a repetitious shell
> script (so I can't even imagine why the binary format?), and re-push the
> approved ones to an empty database, but there's still an unnecessary
> barrier to adding more quotes. So, unless I'm wrong with the above,
> unless someone knows how to re-implement the database more
> transparently, the current quote mechanism will go on the cutting room
> floor in January :-)

This touches the very core of the problem, imho (especially your first
part). Maybe it's the shift of the mindset of the "typical gromacs user"
over the years. E.g., Malaysia, Indonesia, the whole Arabic world,
Russia and probably the U.S. are already - or will shift to - church-
dominated states who have their emerging science and/or send their
students all over the place. Many of these already have another
consciousness than anybody could expect when adding the core of the
quotes to Gromacs.

E.g., We use login quotes on all of our workstations (mostly short
Nietzsche-aphorisms) and openly displaying many of them in some said
countries would probably be followed by slammer.

What's my point here: To have/have not some "irritating quotes" in
Gromacs is *also* a political statement of the developers which
could lead to ban of Gromacs in some places.


my € 0.02

M.


-- 

BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL, CHAPTER IV


67. Love to one only is a barbarity, for it is exercised at the expense
of all others. Love to God also!

...

"129. The devil has the most extensive perspectives for God; on that
account he keeps so far away from him:--the devil, in effect, as the
oldest friend of knowledge."