From: Fabian Pascal

To: Jonathan Lewis

 

Regarding your comments in Is Criticism Unprofessional?

 

"DBAZine, as an organization, doesn’t seem to have any problem with publishing the type of criticism [Fabian Pascal] supplies."

 

I'm afraid that's not exactly true.

 

"It’s hardly a remark designed to avoid hurting the feelings of a sensitive author – but why should it be? (If you read the article, you will appreciate the justification for the comment)."

 

You don't understand: It is only OK for others to point blank insult me using foul language, without any evidence or substance; but it's not OK for me to criticize with evidence and substance, even though I don't use any such language.

 

 

From: Jonathan Lewis

To: Fabian Pascal

 

In order to avoid the risk of being misunderstood, I would like to explain that the intent of the comment.

 

I have started to write critical evaluations of some of the material that is published  about the Oracle software. This has led to email stating that such behaviour is unprofessional.  Since the person who made this complaint is regularly published by DBAZine, I selected the most recent  article you had published to demonstrate that the editors of DBAZine were prepared to publish material which contained the type of thing I was going to do.

 

To me, the most important phrase in the section you have quoted is: "and he justifies what he says"

 

I hope you did not think I was intending to show any disapproval of your article - I am most enthusiastic about the work that  you, Chris Date and Hugh Darwen do. If you would like me to re-word the way in which I am trying to make the point about DBAZine so that it avoids the risk of being misinterpreted, I would be pleased to have your suggestions.

 

 

From: Fabian Pascal

To: Jonathan Lewis

 

You were not misunderstood. What I meant was that DBAzine.com is not that ready to publish me as you think. They rejected one article which criticized another of their writers, and they told me they won't publish any other such critique [which is why my critique of Burleson’s article there will be published by DB/M]. My columns have always been “on the verge” of termination, and they ultimately were terminated.

 

The reason my site exists is precisely because nobody wants to publish either criticism, or fundamentals. That’s why ignorance and stupidity reign in the industry.

 

Not at all. Even if you had disapproved, that is your right, as long as you justified it. I might have debunked it if I thought you were wrong, but that's all. Those who dish it ought to take it; problem is those assholes who insult me without evidence can't [that's why they can only resort to insults].

 

My point re criticism was: it's considered OK for them to insult me without evidence, but not OK for me to demonstrate their ignorance.

 

 

Posted 5/6/05