Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Asking Tim

Author:John Callender
Posted:9/19/2000; 9:28:18 PM
Topic:Asking Tim
Msg #:21524 (In response to 21514)
Prev/Next:21523 / 21525

That's your opinion, not mine.

Well, I think it's pretty clear that it's Tim O'Reilly's opinion. If we're going to make assertions as to the relevance of different people's opinions on this point, his is probably the only one that matters.

The whole debate is kind of pointless, though. If you really want to know why he didn't invite you, why not just ask him, privately, instead of posting a public statement encouraging others to ask him? You're obviously trying to put him on the spot - which is a good example of what I'm talking about. Why on earth would he want to give you an opportunity to engage in even more of that kind of stuff?

BTW, in professional circles, if you're organizing a summit and haven't invited one of the leaders, there has to be a better reason than the one you've supplied. Otherwise calling it a summit is ridiculous. Summits are where adversaries meet.

It's probably stretching the metaphor to liken this to meetings of heads of state, but in that realm, summits are most certainly not where adversaries meet. Battlefields are where adversaries meet. Summits are for meetings between allies, or at least partcipants who are not at open war with each other, and who want to find ways to solve common problems despite their differences. Summits imply a level of commitment, a willingness to work together for a positive outcome, on both sides. Participants who aren't willing to make that commitment tend to see their summit invitations drying up over time.

I realize that you believe you're the victim here, that Tim O'Reilly is the one who's behaved inappropriately, that he's the one who keeps escalating this conflict and forcing you into places you're not comfortable with. I also know that you're not especially interested in providing a forum for someone like me to disagree with you on that point. But just as you feel an impulse to delete messages like mine from your discussion group, Tim O'Reilly undoubtedly feels a similar impulse when it comes to inviting someone who's been acting like you have to his technology summit.

John

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