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        riddles >> general problem-solving / chatting / whatever >> theoretical computer science culture
        
(Message started by: amichail on Jul 6th, 2006, 1:36am)
Title: theoretical computer science culture
Post by amichail on Jul 6th, 2006, 1:36am
Take a look at these blog post comments, which might give you some
idea as to what this culture is like:

http://weblog.fortnow.com/2006/06/focs-accepts-and-movie.html

Search for all occurrences of "Mihai".
Title: Re: theoretical computer science culture
Post by towr on Jul 6th, 2006, 3:18am
I can't say it really enlightened me about their culture. There's a bit of a discussion about publication and quality and scores.
But nothing about how they think of things outside that.
In fact, aside from the topic the discussion is pretty much like any other on the internet. Including people calling each others stupid, petty and whatnot. The only thing it tells me about TCS culture is that they publish papers, like any scientific field.

If there's anything interesting to it, please point it out, cause I'm obviously missing it.
Title: Re: theoretical computer science culture
Post by amichail on Jul 6th, 2006, 3:25am

on 07/06/06 at 03:18:11, towr wrote:
I can't say it really enlightened me about their culture. There's a bit of a discussion about publication and quality and scores.
But nothing about how they think of things outside that.
In fact, aside from the topic the discussion is pretty much like any other on the internet. Including people calling each others stupid, petty and whatnot. The only thing it tells me about TCS culture is that they publish papers, like any scientific field.

If there's anything interesting to it, please point it out, cause I'm obviously missing it.


STOC/FOCS are probably the most competitive conferences in computer science.  The people who publish in these conferences are very bright indeed.

It's apparent from the discussion just how competitive theoretical computer scientists are. Note for example the notion that only STOC/FOCS publications should be counted when evaluating the quality of a researcher's work.

I think other areas of computer science are not so competitive, and certainly, you don't have to be as bright to publish in the top conferences of those areas.
Title: Re: theoretical computer science culture
Post by towr on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:55am

Quote:
It's apparent from the discussion just how competitive theoretical computer scientists are.
Not to me it isn't. At least not moreso than in other fields.


Quote:
Note for example the notion that only STOC/FOCS publications should be counted when evaluating the quality of a researcher's work.
Mosty of the people on that blog don't agree to that, and even Mihai doesn't. He only uses it as a first quick and dirty appraisal, not a full evaluation of someones worth as computer scientist.
Besides, as large as our world is, and as little room as there is for papers on STOC/FOCS, it cannot but leave a lot of qualified people out of sight. Aside from that, as mentioned on the blog, there are other concerns. Some topics are better suited for other conference. You may not be eligable as one of the people on the PC is a collaborator of your article, so you have to go to another conference or wait over a year. People might get preferential teratment (the PC is only human after all). And numerous other reaosons why just looking at the number of papers on just  STOC/FOCS is not a good measure of someone's worth.


Quote:
I think other areas of computer science are not so competitive, and certainly, you don't have to be as bright to publish in the top conferences of those areas.
I don't see any basis for that, and certainly not on grounds of the discussion on that blog (which is far from bright). Not unless all other areas of CS are much smaller, and therefor have less room for competition.

And in how much is  STOC/FOCS a measure for TCS on a world wide scale? From the discussion I get the idea it's mostly from the Ivy Leage universities in the US. Which would immediately disquallify any non-american as an exceptional scientist in the TCS field if you were to only use publication there as a measure.
Title: Re: theoretical computer science culture
Post by Barukh on Jul 7th, 2006, 3:42am
I have found Mihail's link interesting. And I tend to agree with towr that this society is not much different from any other society with similar interests.

Another interesting question is: Has the quality of the papers accepted at FOCS increased during the last 20-25 years? Or has it decreased?


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