No apologies needed

[Bruno Repp <repp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

With regard to Alain's recent apology (which resulted from an
admonition by some senior member of this list?):

I don't think any apologies are needed. Alain's criticisms, even if
sometimes far-fetched, are extremely valuable in probing the
soundness of the interesting and provocative results that Martin has
reported. If someone publishes such results, he/she should be
prepared for criticisms of all sorts and should be delighted rather
than annoyed by them--if he/she can refute them. This is a scientific
game of attack and defense that we all should enjoy playing. A critic
rarely intends to offend; rather, he/she is showing his/her intense
interest in the subject matter and thus is paying homage to the
author. One criticism is worth more than 100 congratulations!

--Bruno


Bruno H. Repp
Research Scientist
Haskins Laboratories
270 Crown Street
New Haven, CT 06511-6695
Tel. (203) 865-6163, ext. 236
FAX (203) 865-8963
e-mail: repp@haskins.yale.edu