Metamath mailing list now being archived on mail-archive.com

David A. Wheeler

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May 19, 2019, 9:32:33 PM5/19/19

to metamath

FYI:

Posts to the Metamath mailing list have started to be archived at mail-archive.com.
You can see that archive here:
https://www.mail-archive.com/meta...@googlegroups.com/

We hope to eventually put older posts in that archive.

Google groups already archives the posts, but having archives in another place
seems wise. I may investigate having a third archive, just to increase the likelihood
that important information isn't lost over time.

--- David A. Wheeler

fl

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May 21, 2019, 9:56:09 AM5/21/19

to Metamath

X-No-Archive: yes

Without interfering in whatever is none of my business, I am opposed to an excess of archiving.

It has a little paranoid flavour that can only affect the quality of the debates.

We already have the "welcome" message now!

--

FL

David A. Wheeler

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May 21, 2019, 11:54:22 AM5/21/19

to metamath, Metamath

On Tue, 21 May 2019 06:56:09 -0700 (PDT), "'fl' via Metamath" <meta...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
> Without interfering in whatever is none of my business, I am opposed to an
> excess of archiving.
> It has a little paranoid flavour that can only affect the quality of the debates.

The goal is to keep potentially important information, for the same reason that we use version control.

I love history (I've listened to many history podcasts), including the history of mathematics. A common theme throughout the study of history is, "we know certain information used to exist, but now it's gone". For example, Stoic logic at one time was extremely popular & it was probably the most popular system around the Mediterranean & Persian areas. There's a lot we don't know about Stoic logic today, because what little is left is reconstructed from sparse sources. (Heck, we even have to reconstruct some of their *axioms*.) There are still debates about the meaning of Aristotle's modal logic; Rini has a very plausible interpretation, but there are also plausible yet different counter-interpretations. The problem is that there's so much that's lost that we have trouble understanding the context. And this is *Aristotle*, where have been many attempts to keep his works and yet we think we only have about 1/3 of them (See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_work ).

I don't think archiving the mailing list should squelch debate, especially since Google groups archives it anyway. I operate on the assumption that as soon as I post something publicly, it may live forever, so I'd better be prepared for that. If you want something to be private, a public mailing list is not a good place to send it :-).

--- David A. Wheeler

fl

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May 21, 2019, 12:27:28 PM5/21/19

to Metamath

> I operate on the assumption that as soon as I post something publicly, it may live forever,

> so I'd better be prepared for that.

You are right. As usual.

--

FL

fl

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May 22, 2019, 7:23:49 AM5/22/19

to Metamath

I love history (I've listened to many history podcasts), including the history of mathematics.

I'm afraid that the history of humanity soon looks like Armageddon because of too many

computers (people want to replicate) and too hot temperatures (people want to fly).