hyatt wrote:I think that is a silly question. Suppose he went by the bank to deposit a personal check while at the event? Is THAT not allowed? Can't meet family or friends for dinner? Can't visit a local "thing to see"? You guys will do ANYTHING possible to cast aspersions on David, or anyone else you don't agree with on this topic.
Personally I have never had a job I thought claimed me for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Would not have such a job.
David's abilities to organize events are not in question, nor the production of the journal etc. That's all fine. But the day will come he will retire, he is 70 now. And when that happens the CC division of the ICGA will be in big trouble. Who do you think has the capacity to organize the annual WCCC and everything that comes with it?
So there, I said it, I don't lack balance.
You are an academic and as you have indicated many times are not much interested in the financials that automatically come with running an organization but you are talking to 2 ex commercials who have been in the same shoes and know that's all fine to make a living from CC and all what comes with that without losing their passion for CC, else why would be here 10-15 years after?
And that's the part I blame David for, unlike commercial chess programmers David in his role as president and main responsible has a responsibilty to promoto CC passionately, serve the general interest. And it has become a job mainly. I take it for granted he was as passionate as you and me in the early days, he lost it during time, what dominates now is money. David doesn't give a hood about computer chess any longer, he cares for his annual WCCC tournament.
I noticed that already in the early 90's and it's best demonstrated by his continueis inflexible and destructive behaviour in the RF case. His actions damaged computer chess, he doesn't care about the split CC community. No leadership, nothing. The ICCA once was an organization I could subscribe as a uniting factor of chess programmers and chess programing in the widest sense of the word and promote it speaking with one voice.
Nothing has left, when confrontated with a letter of 16 angry programmers he had only one thing in mind, saving his annual WCCC by the
Scorched Earth tactic.
In a normal world we would fire such as man, but by the lack of a good successor, it's maybe better to keep him after all?