God, John, when I see a post like this I remember what it was that had me searching out your posts before i knew you personally. I hope anyone who disagrees will response calmly based on technical merit and your future posts will be in this spirit as well.

When I see you and Steve go at it I just stand back and shake my head. You are both brilliant, passionate and articulate. For anyone to read anything either one of you have to say without seriously considering what you are saying would be foolish. But ego-fu matches and member measuring contests are not becoming and gross out spectators quickly.

As you know, my field is history. I've always been fascinated by this kind of clash of massive intellects and egos. Jefferson and Adams hated each other. (until their old age when they actually became pretty good friends - dying within a few hours of each other on the Fourth of July - 1826 I think - and it was said that Adams' last words were "Jefferson still lives!" not knowing TJ had died a few hours before.)

At one point Aaron Burr was the JVP of American politics <s>

Disraeli and Gladstone used to go at it in typical Victorian style - with Disraeli generally getting the better of it. One day walking down the steps of Parliament Gladstone yelled "You, Sir, shall either die on the gallows or of the pox!". Disraeli replied "That would depend, Sir, on whether I embraced your principals or your mistress."
He also said of Gladstone, "I don't so much object to his always behaving as if he had and ace up his sleeve by I resent his implication that God put it there."

But I digress ... <s>

If you and Black can raise it to that it would be amusing to watch. I have to say as much as I like both you and Steve and find you both fascinating I expected more than "You're a lying scumbag" and your implying he's a Canadian Terrorist <bg>

Anyway, I don't think this whole debate about Fox, .NET or whatever at the level of vitriol often expressed here is anything more than Fight Club for bored geeks <s>

But in calmer moments and when talking to people other than each other you and the critics you love to goad (and then hang back and smile and be rational and make them crazy) all offer very interesting insights into what the part of the Elephant they are touching feels like.

I do hope Michel will move your reply here to a new thread and anyone who wants to talk about it participates in the same spirit.

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>One last thing, thanks for posting this. This is the type of discussion I was hoping to foster. Thanks again. If you don't mind, could you extend this discussion on another thread. Or perhaps Michel could move your message and my reply here to a new thread..<