[Tutor] Auto-responder -- request for comments

[Ivan Van Laningham]

Hi All--

David Ascher wrote:
> 
> I'm going to add an autoresponder which will be sent to folks who are
> posting to the tutor list for the first time in a long time.  Here is my
> first draft of the message.  If anyone has any edits they'd like to see
> happen, let me know.
> 

A good idea!

[bobbitt]


However:

> 
> Section 2:
> ----------
> 
> We often get requests which ask about hacking or cracking or breaking
> into computers.  If you haven't yet, go read Eric Raymond's seminal
> article "How To Become a Hacker"
> (http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html). 

Well, I take issue with the word "seminal" here.  Webster's online says:

Main Entry: sem·i·nal
Pronunciation: 'se-m&-n&l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin seminalis,
from semin-, semen seed -- more at SEMEN
Date: 14th century
1 : of, relating to, or consisting of seed or semen
2 : containing or contributing the seeds of later development :
CREATIVE, ORIGINAL <a seminal book> <one of the most seminal of the
great poets>
- sem·i·nal·ly /-n&l-E/ adverb 

I would suggest "important,"  "influential," "creative," or possibly
even "ovular."  The last has the same sense of containing or
contributing the seeds of later development, but from a slightly
different perspective;-)

<now-what-was-that-thread-about-stroking-your-WHAT?>-ly y'rs,
Ivan;-)
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Ivan Van Laningham
Callware Technologies, Inc.
ivanlan@callware.com
ivanlan@home.com
http://www.pauahtun.org
See also: 
http://www.foretec.com/python/workshops/1998-11/proceedings.html
Army Signal Corps:  Cu Chi, Class of '70
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