86.11.11.139: Future Use of SL + stackexchange (2010-09-02 22:25) [#7965]

Hello. I have noticed that you posted on the page FutureUseofSL, which I took to mean that you're interested in the way the internet is used to improve standards of go.

Have you tried using stackoverflow.com for programming language-related questions or mathoverflow.net for advanced mathematics questions? I have no idea if you program or do math, but many go players have cross-over with these areas of expertise.

On the page Future Use of SL, you mention the fact that it is not easy to have discussions on SL. I completely agree. I use SL as a resource, and I think the new stackexchange site will potentially have a lot of cross-over with SL. What's more, the format of stackexchange is uniquely suited to having discussions about complex topics.

That's because people who give good answers are rewarded points, and people who give bad answers are subtracted points. It's more about sharing knowledge than sharing information. You can come to the site with a specific problem and get a specific answer from someone who is better than you. In trying to learn Python, stackoverflow.com saves me at least 10 times a month when I am stuck on a problem and cannot find an answer in reference materials.

So, if you want to ask something like, 'did I play the miai in this situation too soon?' you will not be ignored. Everyone using the page will see your question, how many replies it has received, and if other people have already given a good answer.

If you answer something, people look at your answers, and judge whether you answered the question. Then you're given a rating according to the rating system.

Soon, a similar project will start for go players. Here is the URL:

  http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/11942/game-of-go?referrer=HmgCGKA1KBq37ioaqR_AEA2

I think that the game of go site, which still needs more interested players, would be the ideal way to separate information from knowledge. I personally cannot wait to start posting JPEGs positions from my own games to ask questions about aji I may have missed or miai situations played too early.

I see by your user page that you've done some translating. The number of Jp > En translations of go materials per year is simply depressing. As for myself, I speak and read four languages, none of which (besides Chinese) has much go material published in it. I think yours is a noble work.