Comments on: A collection of distinctions http://trilema.com/2016/a-collection-of-distinctions/ Moving targets for a fast crowd. Mon, 18 May 2026 15:41:04 +0000 http://polimedia.us hourly 1 By: Mircea Popescu http://trilema.com/2016/a-collection-of-distinctions/#comment-120009 Mircea Popescu Tue, 06 Dec 2016 17:12:59 +0000 http://trilema.com/?p=70277#comment-120009 Yes. But I would expect that the correct handling of situation where one spends the 6 months and finds the bug is - he takes to the forum, and <a href=http://btcbase.org/log/2016-12-06#1578293 >scandal ensues</a>. At least that's what I see myself doing. Yes. But I would expect that the correct handling of situation where one spends the 6 months and finds the bug is - he takes to the forum, and scandal ensues.

At least that's what I see myself doing.

]]> By: Stanislav Datskovskiy http://trilema.com/2016/a-collection-of-distinctions/#comment-120008 Stanislav Datskovskiy Tue, 06 Dec 2016 17:06:52 +0000 http://trilema.com/?p=70277#comment-120008 "negsign" remains the simplest, afaik, means of implementing "create a permanent/opposable record of the act of having understood and condemned $payload". The thing you gain for the trouble is a means for distinguishing the scenario where someone is lazy/overworked/dead and simply had not contemplated $payload, from one where he took six months to find a catastrophic bug and now goes to put the find in the perma-record. "negsign" remains the simplest, afaik, means of implementing "create a permanent/opposable record of the act of having understood and condemned $payload".

The thing you gain for the trouble is a means for distinguishing the scenario where someone is lazy/overworked/dead and simply had not contemplated $payload, from one where he took six months to find a catastrophic bug and now goes to put the find in the perma-record.

]]> By: Mircea Popescu http://trilema.com/2016/a-collection-of-distinctions/#comment-120007 Mircea Popescu Tue, 06 Dec 2016 17:01:43 +0000 http://trilema.com/?p=70277#comment-120007 Consider one simple point - as it is now, I have .seals and all is well. If there existed the possibility of "negative sealing", then it would behove me to have .posseals and .negseals, because obviously I can distinguish between "the stuff X signs" and "the stuff X anti-signs". Now I have more complexity in my V build tree, and therefore more possibility for error. What do I gain for my trouble ? If before I cared what X thought and had him in .seals, stuff he didn't sign couldn't build. If now I care what X thinks and have him in .negseals, stuff he anti-signs... can't build ; whereas if i have him in .possign stuff he doesn't sign... can't build. Soon enough I quit maintaining .negsigns altogether and V128 rebecomes V256. Consider one simple point - as it is now, I have .seals and all is well.

If there existed the possibility of "negative sealing", then it would behove me to have .posseals and .negseals, because obviously I can distinguish between "the stuff X signs" and "the stuff X anti-signs". Now I have more complexity in my V build tree, and therefore more possibility for error.

What do I gain for my trouble ? If before I cared what X thought and had him in .seals, stuff he didn't sign couldn't build. If now I care what X thinks and have him in .negseals, stuff he anti-signs... can't build ; whereas if i have him in .possign stuff he doesn't sign... can't build.

Soon enough I quit maintaining .negsigns altogether and V128 rebecomes V256.

]]> By: Stanislav Datskovskiy http://trilema.com/2016/a-collection-of-distinctions/#comment-120006 Stanislav Datskovskiy Tue, 06 Dec 2016 16:58:22 +0000 http://trilema.com/?p=70277#comment-120006 @Mircea Popescu One way to approach the problem of "ought V to have a brake pedal" would be to describe the cost (the added programmatic complexity would be minimal.) Can you think of a situation where having "negsig" around would lead to a hazard ? Or -- as is much the same thing -- to a logically-ambiguous statement ? @Mircea Popescu

One way to approach the problem of "ought V to have a brake pedal" would be to describe the cost (the added programmatic complexity would be minimal.)

Can you think of a situation where having "negsig" around would lead to a hazard ? Or -- as is much the same thing -- to a logically-ambiguous statement ?

]]> By: Mircea Popescu http://trilema.com/2016/a-collection-of-distinctions/#comment-120005 Mircea Popescu Tue, 06 Dec 2016 16:49:39 +0000 http://trilema.com/?p=70277#comment-120005 Yes, you're right in pointing out that the principal difference between wot-for-people as implemented by eg deedbot is the signed int whereas wot-for-code as implemented by v is unsigned int. It is not directly clear that a) one is better than the other ; b) the two cases are not actually distinct and would benefit from this distinction being maintained ; c) good quality answers to questions a and b do not depend on the current arrangement being maintained for a while longer. Yes, you're right in pointing out that the principal difference between wot-for-people as implemented by eg deedbot is the signed int whereas wot-for-code as implemented by v is unsigned int.

It is not directly clear that a) one is better than the other ; b) the two cases are not actually distinct and would benefit from this distinction being maintained ; c) good quality answers to questions a and b do not depend on the current arrangement being maintained for a while longer.

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