[R] The Perils of PowerPoint

[(Ted Harding)]

On 02-Sep-05 Sean O'Riordain wrote:
> I can't lay my hands n it at the moment - its around here somewhere,
> but in "Numerical Methods That Work" by Forman Acton, the author
> points out that "the result of computation should be insight, not
> numbers"....
> 
> ps. an excellent book if you haven't seen it.
> https://enterprise.maa.org/ecomtpro/Timssnet/products/TNT_products.cfm
> 
> cheers,
> Sean

No doubt you're correct -- but I associate it with Richard Hamming
(title page of "Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers" as
I recall -- yes, for me too "it's around here somewhere" -- another
really excellent book) where he words it:

  "The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers."

to which he adds:

  "The purpose of computing numbers is not yet in sight."

By the way, the Washington Post/Minneapolis Star Tribune article is
somewhat reminiscent of a short (15 min) broadcast on BBC Radio 4
back on October 18 2004 15:45-16:00 called

  "Microsoft Powerpoint and the Decline of Civilisation"

which explores similar themes and also frequently quotes Tufte.
Unfortunately it lapsed for ever from "Listen Again" after the
statutory week, so I can't point you to a replay. (However, I
have carefully preserved the cassette recording I made).

We are not, of course, going Off Topic here. If, in R, you can not
indefinitely extend a tangent, then it's time to extend R.

(Oh dear, I feel a fortune coming on ... )

Best wishes to all,
Ted.

> On 02/09/05, Achim Zeileis <Achim.Zeileis at wu-wien.ac.at> wrote:
>> On Fri, 2 Sep 2005 12:27:45 -0500 davidr at rhotrading.com wrote:
>> 
>> >
>> > > -----Original Message-----
>> > > From: ... Robert Baer
>> > > Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 11:30 AM
>> > ....
>> > > ....  It is wrong to blame ANY tool for our own shortcomings!
>> >
>> > Surely a fortune!
>> 
>> thx, added to the devel-version of fortunes.
>> 
>> But allow me one remark: Although the above is certainly true, there
>> are
>> computational tools that help us better to realize or avoid our own
>> shortcomings whereas others will make it harder to arrive at the right
>> conclusions.
>> I agree that PowerPoint cannot be blamed for the crash of the space
>> shuttle, but I also see the point that the way presentations are
>> generated in PowerPoint (or graphics in Excel) can easily tempt people
>> into producing presentations/graphics that conceal what is important.
>> This is certainly not an excuse, but I think some criticism (even
>> if phrased a bit provocatively) should be allowed.
>> 
>> just my EUR 0.02.
>> Z
>> 
>> > David L. Reiner
>> >
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>> >
>> 
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> 
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E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding at nessie.mcc.ac.uk>
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Date: 03-Sep-05                                       Time: 01:00:24
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