Betreff: Computing on Panorama

Von: Dr Grahame Blackwell

Datum: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:41:16 +0100

(feel free to circulate as appropriate)

You may be interested in yet another misrepresentation of the recent Panorama programme on WiFi.

This one presents a highly distorted and factually incorrect account of the programme.  Its implicit allegation of loading the scientific evidence might even be actionable.  Certainly the author's wildly speculative meanderings don't relate to anything I saw on Panorama, his expertise in 'fixing' statistical observations must come from a source much closer to home.

It's just a shame that such low-grade material should appear in a quality journal like Computing.

Article here:

http://www.computing.co.uk:80/itweek/comment/2192256/bbc-panorama-panders-ignorant

An edited version of my letter to the editor was published July 9th in 'Wireless' and can be seen here:

http://vnuuk.typepad.com/itweek_letters/2007/07/hatton-is-off-w.html

Although a substantial proportion of my letter was cut, my main points were kept, for which I'm grateful.  I'm sorry, though, that they also trimmed off my qualifications and experience.  In this field, so rife with speculation and distortion, it's important to know the credentials of anyone offering their views.  (Just for the record, I hold an Upper 2nd Class stats-based Honours Degree and have used stats extensively throughout my professional career.)

My full response is the last of four posted to date on the 'comments' page for that article - all four are critical of Hatton's flippant attitude.

http://www.computing.co.uk/articles/comments/2192256

(Dr) Grahame Blackwell MBCS CEng EurIng