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From: suhre@trw-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Criticism without Solutions
Message-ID: <312@trw-unix.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 14-Jun-83 11:45:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: trw-unix.312
Posted: Tue Jun 14 11:45:15 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 16-Jun-83 01:05:12 EDT
Lines: 18

I believe that it is OK to criticize or point out shortcomings
without having solutions.  Some examples:

	1.  If you are about to step off a cliff, I would say
	I think you shouldn't step off the cliff.  I do not have
	to know whether you should go left, right, or backwards.

	2.  If you showed me a theorem and an erroneous proof, I
	would point the error(s) in your proof without feeling that
	I had to have a correct proof available.

It seems to me that if someone has a problem and proposes a solution,
it is better to point out that the solution cannot work rather than
let them flounder around with it.  Or if it has some serious shortcomings
as well as some merit, then pointing out the shortcomings should at
least aid in having realistic expectations of the outcome.

				Maurice Suhre