I'm a computer scientist with broad interests in history and the sciences. I found the instant improvability of Wikipedia to be nearly irresistible. It's a great system, so I decided to become part of it.
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I'm a Steve.
Contrary to some impressions, I'm not online all of the time, and I sometimes even travel to the big room with the blue roof. Thus, I may take some time to reply to a discussion or request. Further delay is possible in the rare cases where I think before I write something. ;-)
A snapshot of my reading (January 5th, 2026):
Robert Silverberg: Dying Inside - not Science Fictiony enough for my taste (so far), but deservedly in the SF Masterworks series
Samuel R. Delany: Captives of the Flame - a bit of a letdown after Babel 17, which was fantastic in more than one sense of the word
Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver - that one really brought history alive in a new, more interconnected way for me. Of course I "knew" that the 30 Years War raged from 1618 to 1648, and that James and Charles fell in between Elisabeth I (died 1603) and Oliver Cromwell (named Lord Protector in 1653), but I never placed these events mentally into the same world...
Older snapshots.
I'm a computer scientist with broad interests in history and the sciences. I found the instant improvability of Wikipedia to be nearly irresistible. It's a great system, so I decided to become part of it.
Contrary to some impressions, I'm not online all of the time, and I sometimes even travel to the big room with the blue roof. Thus, I may take some time to reply to a discussion or request. Further delay is possible in the rare cases where I think before I write something. ;-)
Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver - that one really brought history alive in a new, more interconnected way for me. Of course I "knew" that the 30 Years War raged from 1618 to 1648, and that James and Charles fell in between Elisabeth I (died 1603) and Oliver Cromwell (named Lord Protector in 1653), but I never placed these events mentally into the same world...
In a democratic society, good decisions can only be expected from an informed population. Oppose censorship, both online and offline.
In science, any compromise between a correct statement and a wrong statement is a wrong statement.
If I disagree with an argument, please do not assume that I automatically disagree with the conclusion. I may well do so, but I also point out flaws in arguments where I have no opinion on the conclusion, or even (if rarer, I'm no saint ;-) where I agree with the conclusion. I cannot stand bad logic - it's a professional weakness.
Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say.
There are those in our own country too who today speak of the "protection of country" -- of "survival." A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient -- to look the other way.
Well, the answer to that is "survival as what?" A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's whatitstandsfor. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult!
Before the people of the world, let it now be noted that here, in our decision, this is what we stand for: justice, truth, and the value of a single human being.
For keeping your temper in the face of provocation (by one who has been professionally trained to provoke, no less) you are hereby awarded the Resilient Barnstar.Raymond Arritt 00:31, 6 March 2007 (UTC)
I hereby present you with The Zen Garden Award for Infinite Patience for discussing Holocaust denial in a calm, rational, civil and good-humoured manner in the face of severe provocation ;) EyeSereneTALK 19:06, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
The Reference Desk Barnstar
Thank you for your reply to my query at the Science Reference Desk regarding the History of Quantum Mechanics. Your contribution to the discussion was insightful, and helped me find the answers I was looking for. Thanks! FusionKnight (talk) 19:43, 22 January 2008 (UTC)
The Defender of the Wiki Barnstar
I award you this Barnstar for the fine reasoning you demonstrated here. Your efforts to maintain legitimate scholarship as it appears on Wikipedia and prevent its obfuscation are appreciated. Keep up the good work! Regards, WilliamH (talk) 21:48, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
For all the hard work and tireless contributions you have made to Wikipedia while maintaining a high standard of quality. Green451 (talk) 02:19, 7 July 2009 (UTC)
The Resilient Barnstar
For keeping your temper in the face of hostility and for reverting countless acts of vandalism. Great Work. South Bay (talk) 21:39, 13 October 2009 (UTC)
The Anti-Flame Barnstar
We don't always agree, but you demonstrate calmness on controversial issues. THE FOUNDERS INTENT PRAISE 14:57, 8 December 2009 (UTC)
The Reference Desk Barnstar
Thank you for being so patient and inversting so much time while trying to help me resolve my Emacs and SINGULAR problems. Your kind acts do not go unnoticed and are very much apprciated. — Fly by Night(talk) 15:14, 24 October 2010 (UTC)
The Barnstar of Good Humor
thank you, that gave me a much needed laugh. KillerChihuahua?!?Advice 15:32, 3 December 2010 (UTC)
The Reference Desk Barnstar
Thank you for your help with my C problems! 169.231.8.73 (talk) 21:59, 20 October 2012 (UTC)
The Barnstar of Good Humor
For this gemμηδείς (talk) 21:05, 12 February 2013 (UTC)
"I found the instant improvability of Wikipedia to be nearly irresistible"
Thank you, veteran editor with the same great line on the user page from 2003 to now, for quality articles such as Craig M. Wright, British Alpine Hannibal Expedition and Talk:Global warming/FAQ, for answering science questions at the help desk, for precision and protection, for earning praise for "calm, rational, civil and good-humoured manner", for "Further delay is possible in the rare cases where I think before I write something", - you are an awesome Wikipedian!
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