Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!utah-cs!utah-gr!thomas From: thomas@utah-gr.UUCP Newsgroups: net.math Subject: Re: Answers on net Message-ID: <803@utah-gr.UUCP> Date: Fri, 10-Jun-83 21:00:10 EDT Article-I.D.: utah-gr.803 Posted: Fri Jun 10 21:00:10 1983 Date-Received: Sat, 11-Jun-83 19:48:22 EDT Lines: 20 Recently two puzzles were posted to net.math. People immediately posted solutions to the net. This is not nice! Some of us don't want to sit down and think about a problem right when we see it, but might like to work on it later. If you MUST show off your intelligence (or lack thereof) how about sending your solution to the poster (who presumably already knows the answer, so you won't be spoiling HIS fun). Then, after a decent interval has passed (maybe 2 weeks), the poster can repost the problem with a summary of the best solutions. That way, not only can everybody who wants to solve the problem read the netnews without fear, but we won't have to wade through reams of solutions. Finally, if you just can't stand it, and you absolutely just have to post your solution so the whole world knows how smart YOU are, at least you could explain HOW you got it. A message saying "The ages are x, y and z" doesn't help anything (except maybe your ego), whereas a message explaining how you derived x, y and z might. (Flame off) =Spencer