Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!tale
From: tale@cs.rpi.edu (David C Lawrence)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions
Subject: Re: Are signature lines distracting?
Message-ID: <B=K*~-@rpi.edu>
Date: 6 Jan 90 06:22:47 GMT
References: <659@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov> <15068@bfmny0.UU.NET>
	<662@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Lines: 33

In <662@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov> packer@chrpserv.gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles Packer):
> In my criticsm of signature pithy sayings, I should have emphasized
> more strongly that I'm against them in those groups devoted to
> serious topics such as talk.political.theory. It's dismaying to see
> a skillful writer carelessly allow the system to append a bit of
> fluff he probably dreamed up while browsing in soc.singles.

I agree very much with this sentiment.  It is irritating to get to the
end of a posting and see as part of the automatically added .signature:

"Disclaimer: No one agrees with my opinions anyway." or
"My company would never let someone as insane as me speak for them." or
"I'm not awake enough to know what I'm talking about."

Whether it seemed to be a well-reasoned argument or just a hot-headed
flame the end result is that I wonder why the person bothered posting
if he's just going to let his own tag line indicate that his article
was bullshit.  Maybe it's some odd form of mock-humility or perhaps a
pathetic attempt at having an escape route in case the material
presented is indeed of minority opinion or lacking in factual truth.
On the occasional article, consciously added because the poster hasn't
slept in seventy-two hours or whatever, it would make sense.  When it
appears on every article, it just serves to paint a negative image of
the person it represents, both for his own self-confidence and how
much stock we should actually put in what he says.

> In soc.singles, however, it would be great stuff.

That is certainly a debatable point.

Dave
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