Jeff Gostin says:
perry@imsi.com (Perry E. Metzger) writes:
the result applicable to factoring, I feel rather sad. Its depressing commentary on what cypherpunks has become. Go figger. It's become a haven of learning, where the more learned teach those willing to learn, [...] I've recieved some very nice replies to my earlier question about what O(f(x)) meant, including one from you, Mike McNally, Bill O'Hanlon, and Douglas Sinclair (thanx guys!! If anyone else sent anything, I haven't recieved it yet, but you do have my thanx, in advance!). This only proves that there are people who are only too willing to teach if someone shows they are willing to listen, and learn.
I was perfectly willing to answer someone asking an honest question. I've asked many a stupid question myself over the years because I didn't know a field yet. The point is not that people can't ask questions or expect polite answers -- its that I resent people who think that now that they've been handed a rusty saw they know how to do surgery. You didn't insist that you knew more than other people -- you said you didn't know something so I made an effort to point you at the answer. I dislike people who are ignorant pretending to themselves that they know what they don't. Perry