A Run in with a Star

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...
There we go again-----What the he** is KMQJ? Use the name, please?

Sorry Jim, but I don't see the point. If you're unfamiliar with the
airport, the name will likely be as meaningless to you as the identifier
is.

First of all, that's a false assumption. I can't speak for every other
pilot, but I know that around here where I fly, there are a number of
airports that I know by name, but not by identifier. I don't even live in
an area where there's a huge number of airports. I can't imagine memorizing
the identifiers for every airport in Southern California, for example.

Plus, if you're interested, you can instantly find the name, location, and
description just by googling the identifier.

Secondly, this is an issue of courtesy to the reader (as is a number of
other things, such as correct spelling and grammar, quoting style,
formatting, etc.). The person writing the identifier presumably already
knows the name of the airport. It's trivial for them to write the actual
name instead of or in addition to.

Yes, the reader can look them identifier up, but it's more trouble and it
interrupts the flow of actually *reading* the post. Presumably, the point
of having written the post is to have it read, so it behooves the author to
make the act of reading as pain-free as possible, especially when doing so
involves practically NO additional effort on the author's part.

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised to see you of all people defending the practice
of writing coded Usenet posts. You always seemed more insightful than that.


Pete

"Peter Duniho" writes:

Secondly, this is an issue of courtesy to the reader (as is a number of
other things, such as correct spelling and grammar, quoting style,
formatting, etc.). The person writing the identifier presumably already
knows the name of the airport. It's trivial for them to write the actual
name instead of or in addition to.

Yes, the reader can look them identifier up, but it's more trouble and it
interrupts the flow of actually *reading* the post. Presumably, the point
of having written the post is to have it read, so it behooves the author to
make the act of reading as pain-free as possible, especially when doing so
involves practically NO additional effort on the author's part.

Can you reliably look up the *name* of an airport? Seems like the
identifier is much more useful for that purpose. I'll bet common use
names for airports overlap.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, , http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/
RKBA: http://www.dd-b.net/carry/
Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/
Dragaera/Steven Brust: http://dragaera.info/

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
Yes, the reader can look them identifier up, but it's more trouble and it
interrupts the flow of actually *reading* the post.

In this case, the post was one sentence long, so there was no flow to
interrupt.

In other contexts, the name, location, runway length, airspace, or whatever
might be important to the point being made; mentioning the relevant details
would indeed be good style. But if the details are tangential--or, at the
other extreme, if so much information is relevant that a reader would need
to look some of it up any way--then the best single piece of information to
include is the compact, unique, instantly searchable identifier.

--Gary

David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
"Peter Duniho" writes:
Can you reliably look up the *name* of an airport? Seems like the
identifier is much more useful for that purpose. I'll bet common use
names for airports overlap.


That is assuming that we have enough interest to go to the trouble of looking
the airport up. When I read a post about flying from point A to B, I like to
read the actual name of the airport as well as the city if it isn't obvious.
Just assume I live somewhere else and never heard of your airport. Frankly, if
it isn't on the east coast of the United States or is in the Bahamas or
Caribbean, I probably haven't.

The text of the posting may stimulate me to look up the approach plate or pick
up my copy of AOPA's Airport Directory... or it may not. In any case, I know
the local identifiers. I don't know the ones in the mid or far west.... except
for the huge ones like LAX, SFO, DEN, etc...

It should be a courtesy to others. Isn't the point of writing the post to get
others to read it?

To me, that's why I criticize those who don't trim quotations. If I have to
scroll down to read the new information, I probably won't read the post at all.
And wasn't the whole point to get others to read it? Try to make it easy for
them to do so.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

That's them!!!

Jay Honeck wrote:

OK, this thread has gone to a different level, so I get to say that I
had the whole group "The Association" come to my appartment after a
college concert. It was a dare and they said yes.


Whoa! That's cool!

Didn't they make the songs "Windy" and "Cherish"?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"T o d d P a t t i s t" wrote in message
...
I agree with Pete. I have a much better chance of
recognizing the name than the identifier. I'd recognize
the name of every airport I know the identifier of, but I'd
only recognize the identifier of a small number of airports
I know the name of. I'd appreciate both name and
identifier, but I'd take the name before the ID.

Hm, ok. Offhand, I can't recall reading a post where I cared what airport
corresponded to an identifier I didn't recognize, but didn't care enough to
want to look up more information about it anyway. Oh well, just a matter of
taste.

--Gary

"David Dyer-Bennet" wrote in message
...
Can you reliably look up the *name* of an airport? Seems like the
identifier is much more useful for that purpose. I'll bet common use
names for airports overlap.

Generally speaking, yes. There are exceptions, of course. That said, I
have no objection to including both. But if only one is going to be
included, it ought to be the full name, not the identifier. It's MUCH more
likely that if you don't recognize the *name*, that the airport is not
relevant to you.

Pete

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...
In this case, the post was one sentence long, so there was no flow to
interrupt.

Of course there is. The flow from one post to the next is interrupted when
the reader has to switch to a browser and wait for a search on the airport
ID to complete.

In other contexts, the name, location, runway length, airspace, or
whatever might be important to the point being made; mentioning the
relevant details would indeed be good style. But if the details are
tangential--or, at the other extreme, if so much information is relevant
that a reader would need to look some of it up any way--then the best
single piece of information to include is the compact, unique, instantly
searchable identifier.

If the actual identity of the airport is not relevant, why included ANY
information? Why not just write "an airport"?

You are really stretching here.

Pete

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
One mo
Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart said "Hi" to me as we both waited on
the
curb [for different rides] at the Hilton during last year's OSH, or was
it
two years ago? I looked non-threatening I suppose, since I was holding a
bag
of melting ice at the time.

Hey, dang it, that's mine! Ford and Flockhart were eating breakfast at
the table next to ours, while my 15 year old son had conniptions,
realizing he was sitting RIGHT NEXT to "Han Solo"! (And I wouldn't let
him ask for an autograph...)

Oh, and I got to chat with Brett Favre at the Green Bay FBO in '04,
while he was waiting for his pilot and plane... (And, again, my
then-14-year-old son had conniptions, cuz I wouldn't let him ask for an
autograph!)
--

The most unusual thing in that story is that Calista Flockhart was eating.

Jay Honeck wrote:
Hey, dang it, that's mine! Ford and Flockhart were eating breakfast at
the table next to ours, while my 15 year old son had conniptions,
realizing he was sitting RIGHT NEXT to "Han Solo"! (And I wouldn't let
him ask for an autograph...)

Oh, and I got to chat with Brett Favre at the Green Bay FBO in '04,
while he was waiting for his pilot and plane... (And, again, my
then-14-year-old son had conniptions, cuz I wouldn't let him ask for an
autograph!)


So you haven't met anybody really important. *I*, on the other hand, have met
June Foray and Bill Scott. Top that.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE