michael said:
>   This is all just nitpicking and progress is being made,
>   that's all that counts, not now many think ENUF progress.

um, it's certainly not "nitpicking".

perhaps the fact that "progress is being made"
might be "all that counts" to _you_, michael, but
maybe something else counts to someone else...

i certainly think the _methods_ that people are
using to "make progress" is an interesting topic.

moreover, i think it's quite fascinating that those
people whose methods failed to make progress
localize the cause of that failure in some inherent
"difficulty of the task" rather than in their methods.

they then go on to lambast anyone else who thinks
that progress could be made with another method.

and yes, there is much precedent for this on this list.

for the past few years, a number of people have been
telling me that "a plain-text format cannot represent
the range of features in paper-books" simply because
they could not imagine one that could.  but i _can_...

and even when i told you, repeatedly, that i could do it,
they insisted -- just as vehemently -- that i could not...

well, in case you haven't noticed, people, i have begun
the process of giving you unequivocal proof that i can.

and, just as i've known and predicted all along, you will
suddenly become silent with your "that can't be done"
song and dance, and will pretend you never said it at all.


>   "Those doing the impossible
>   should not be interrupted
>   by those who say impossible."
>   Ancient Chinese Proverb

but the ones who say it is impossible
will keep on trying to interrupt them...

because otherwise, their smug picture
of themselves as "invited experts" will
vanish in a puff of their own vapor...

-bowerbird