Question for Mr. Adams [on updating columns]

I have a question in reference to an article linked HERE

The article clearly states that the question was asked by a Mr. David F back in 1988, yet your article references Google(which was not founded until 10 years later in 1998) as a source. I also see you referenced a book written by Teun Koetsier and Luc Bergmans in 2004, which I am also guessing(by the date) wasn’t around in 1988.

So question… is the date on the article incorrectly stated or do you normally wait for a minimum of 16 years to lapse before answering your readers’ questions? If the latter, I am looking forward to your response in 2029!

My guess is that someone noted that the link no longer worked, so Cecil had the link fixed.

I am completely stumped at your answer and don’t understand how it relates in any way to the question asked. :confused:

It looks like the column answer was updated later, or the date on the column is wrong. Usually, updates are clearly marked as such, but this one isn’t.

If this is in fact the case(that the article date is wrong) then who is to blame? According to what I read HERE, Cecil is never wrong. Are one of Cecil’s many peons to blame?

I don’t know about this particular article, but many others have been updated after publication (sometimes years later), while retaining the original date. It’s unfortunate that Ed (Zotti, Cecil’s “editor”) doesn’t note the update date when it’s done.

Cecil does not have “peons”.
Cecil has minions.

We pretty much blame Ed Zotti for everything we don’t like. He’s handy to have around.

Peon - a person who does menial work.
Minion - a follower devoted to serving his master relentlessly.

Until today, I had no idea there was a difference! Thanks for taking the time to enlighten!

Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board. Your first post involved nitpicking a Cecil column. You’ll fit in well here, I think. :smiley:

After “scoring” projects and reports for Grades three through eight for 10 years, I tend to find errors and discrepancies sooner than most. :slight_smile:

Columns are potentially updated at several points in time: if they are being printed in a book, for instance, they need to be thoroughly researched and updated. Sometimes, when they are being posted on the Message Boads, minor edits and updates are made (almost never a complete and thorough update.) I’m not sure what happened in this case, but one of those two scenarios is most likely.

See: PLEASE READ: Forum Rules noting post #5.

The column was originally produced in 1988.

The column was reprinted in one of Cecil’s books and was likely updated then.

It may also have been edited/updated when The Straight Dope was featured on AOL in the late 1990s.

And you don’t have to be so snotty. That’s Cecil’s job. :smiley:

PS - Someone has suggested a more descriptive thread title would be helpful to other readers, so I’ve amended thread title.

Peons say funny things when you poke them.

If Cecil publishes an official addendum/errata in the papers, it gets its own section at the end. Not always dated (except in print), but at least it’s clear that this is written months or more later. Sometimes they make more minor changes, but don’t change the date. I wish they would, old columns get confusing sometimes.

Since the columns in the books aren’t dated, they basically didn’t track when which edits were made. (I assume it’s obvious why the columns in the book aren’t dated.)