@Matt, people keep coming in here to try to get more users for their SE proposal, so I explained why I was against and they're being rude in the comments
@QED See here to see how many times the new proposal has been shared in this room. I count 2. The rest are mostly from users discussing math/mathematica in general and you whining.
I'm taking an online stats class and I don't understand the text definition I'm being presented with. Is it appropriate to ask questions about that here?
@QED Please count. Also, both those conversations went pleasantly with other math.se regulars, some of whom even starred it. I find it hard to believe that it constitues as spam. Sasha's link today doesn't show up since it was deleted, but it doesn't seem outrageous to reach out to a community where a decent number of folks use it in some way or the other.
@Matt Sure. It might be simpler if you give me the link directly as the flag goes to all moderators (unless I get to it fast enough). If it needs to be private, then by all means, do flag it and I'll take care of it.
@Srivatsan Just to fill you in (not that you asked), Sasha posted a link today requesting people to commit to the mma proposal (since math.se users might be interested in it). Some one here (guess who) flags it as spam and gets him banned from chat. They've been since trying to have a one way dialogue.
The only reason I linked it was to point out the passive aggressive comment "boy, someone got flagged & banned for posting a link to an Area 51 proposal? harsh. " happened to be from someone who supports the proposal
but now someone has starred it against my will and he refuses to delete it despite offering to edit other peoples comments
@QED Independent of whether I support the proposal or not, I think this is a ridiculous thing - to be banned from anywhere for posting an inoffensive link.
I myself am not an active supporter, but that doesn't change my views about this incident.
@QED Just because I can, doesn't mean I have to. Also, since it was starred for whatever reason, I'm not here to clear stars and delete it when Asaf is the room owner.
@Srivatsan He's been unbanned now. Another moderator reversed the autoban, but I do find it incredulous that seeking support for a mathematica proposal in a math chat room is flag worthy. I can understand if someone tried to link to a religion prposal or the sexuality proposal
@Matt I'm sorry, but I didn't get that flag. I don't know if it went through (most likely did not) and was dismissed by someone else, but if you still need help with that, I can do so if you give me the link. Is it a serious thing?
Even if it is advertising or seeking support or even propaganda, I don't find it inoffensive enough to be flagged. On the contrary, I should say it borders on being a spam: it even fits the definition of spam.
@AsafKaragila Well, I am not in support of the rule. My point was that: if it were a rule that solicit is not allowed, then it is ok to flag such a comment in the name of that rule.
Rereading the last statement, it is a tautology. =)
I think that the chat network should allow different rules for different rooms, and ask moderators (which have network-wide powers in the chat) to behave accordingly.
@AsafKaragila Just in case that last sentence was directed at me, I have not done anything in this room that I couldn't have as a normal user. The only edit/deletion I made was in response to a direct request and a flag (not sure if they're deleted now). I even said I wasn't going to do anything since you're the room owner, which is why I also requested you to fiddle with the access thing a couple of days ago even though I could've done it myself
@yoda It was a general point, since you said that the ban of Sasha was done and undone by someone else. Whoever that might be, I hope it was someone that would have read the rules we pretty much agreed on in this chat before banning/unbanning people.
@Srivatsan I should mention that I did not formulate any rule that did not naturally occur in here before.
@AsafKaragila Oh, right. That is true. Well, I've read your rules but I can't speak for the moderators who acted on them. The one who unbanned also pops in and out of math chat for discussion, so perhaps he's aware too.
Perhaps. I prefer not to start writing long and tedious lists of rules, but rather have a short list of guidelines. This way everyone is happy. Except QED, it seems.
@AsafKaragila No, I am not suggesting that you wield any kind of unilateral control over the room. I agree that the rules are both reasonable and agreed upon; moreover the overwhelming agreement suggests that everyone is cool with them. =)
That always struck me as odd: what was the disagreement about? The specific set of rules (or one of them in particular)? Or is it that they don't like the idea of playing by rules?
How does one use the substitution $u=\tan(x)$ to solve $\int 1/(a^2+\cos(x)^2) dx$? I know I can "simply" find $\cos(\arctan(x))$ but are there any other ways? =)
@AsafKaragila Because we were talking about one earlier and I didn't know if you were talking about the same one. I just looked that one up on your profile.
Hah, when I say that someone is a crank for claiming Godel was wrong people come after me... but someone calls them a crackpot for "inventing new operations" it's fine.
@Asaf: for no longer having an account, Skullpatrol seems to be here quite a lot. They retain their avatar, but requests to look at their profile fail. Kind of like limbo.
