Cagles,
Tom and Debbie raise a point that I have encountered numerous times: People often put out
information gathered willynilly or second and third hand, presenting it as factual, and
when documentation and/or citation is requested it is either not forthcoming, is
inadequate, or you are treated as if they think you are challenging their honesty.
I would encourage everyone not to present information unless they are prepared to back it
up. Of course, this does not apply to the quotation of factual sources in which the
citation is given along with the facts, but in assertions of relationships, etc. Many
folks are very knowledgeable and scrupulous in their presentations, but none should take a
request for documentation and/or citations as confrontational...it's in all of our
interests to accumulate and maintain our records to the highest standards of provable
accuracy. These observations are not directed particularly to this list, but as a general
matter.
Respectfully,
Arthur S. Cagle
Port Allen, Louisiana
Tom & Debbie Cagle wrote:
SNIP
My question is...What do you do? It's frustrating to see the
incorrect information perpetuate itself and I am concerned that the more it shows up on
the net the more people believe its authenticity. I have even had people refer me to
another web site as proof of their information's accuracy.
For my part, information on the net is only theory until I have source documents to back
it up.
SNIP