alt Hacker NewsWho cares what you think of someone else’s qualifications?
It’s just someone quoting someone to help ground their position.
What if it was a journalist writing about a security vulnerability then a programmer quoting them, would that count then?
Who cares what you think of someone else’s qualifications?
It’s just someone quoting someone to help ground their position.
What if it was a journalist writing about a security vulnerability then a programmer quoting them, would that count then?
If it doesn't matter, why did the previous poster mention them?
It's pretty clearly a type of argument called an "appeal to authority", where an authority is cited to add credibility to a position. It's usually considered a pretty weak form of argument, but it can be effective. So the credibility of the cited authority is relevant.