Helen, Helen, Helen.

"Scurrilous"? "Sensational"? "Badly written"? "Biased"? "Inaccurate"?

According to the third edition of the American Heritage Dictionary of
the English Language (see gurunet.com), the word scurrilous
means "given to the use of vulgar, coarse or abusive language; foul-
mouthed; expressed in vulgar, coarse and abusive language." No other
meanings are attributed to it.

I would appreciate your pointing out to me exactly where I descended
to "vulgar, coarse or abusive language" in either of the articles I
wrote recently about InterBase that you referred to in your thread.

I would also appreciate your pointing out exactly where I was
inaccurate considering that everything I wrote was based on
documented evidence taken directly out of your news groups and on
interviews with Paul Beach and Ann Harrison, with Jim Starkey adding
his two cents in the background. Am I to conclude that Harrison,
Beach, Starkey, you yourself and the people contributing their
comments to your news groups lie to each other and misrepresent the
facts on a regular basis and to the press when it comes calling?

You might also indicate in the process where exactly the narrative was
biased. Did I leave substantive information that I would obviously
have at my command out of the story? Do I care so much about
something so trivial that I would pervert the truth? The attitude
that I "dished" Inprise is in the eyes of the beholder.

Do you really think the pieces rise to the description
of "sensational?" Sounds flattering to both of us but I hardly think
the InterBase tale is quite that flamboyant. Maybe you could point
out exactly where I went over the line between sensational and dry as
a physics textbook. Where exactly - and again let's refer to the
dictionary meaning of the word sensational - the story details
are "exaggerated or lurid?"

It seems to me that you are upset and defamatory because (a) you
weren't consulted, although I might point out that your thinking is
reflected in the first piece and (b) you are intimidated by any
unauthorized coverage that you don't control. You suggest, in fact,
that I had no business covering the story. An odd position in terms
of the new "open" values and certainly not one under which a free
press can operate let alone flourish. Well, the English press baron,
Lord Northcliff, once observed, "News is something someone somewhere
wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising." Why you want to
suppress it however might make an interesting story. - MOG

Maureen O'Gara
Editor, Client Server News, The Online Reporter & Linux Gram
E-mail: ogara@...
Fax: 516 759-7028
Tel: 516 759-7025
Cell: 516 445-2504