The procedure: attempt to debate something with Sv*n L*th*r, preferably in a public mailing list. This way others can play along without having to actually engage him in conversation.
Every time he does one of the following, take a drink. * His rebuttal of your argument includes the word "bogus". http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01093.html * He accuses you of not having done basic research, such as reading the document in question, or not having read the other messages in the thread. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00927.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01093.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01283.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01217.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01110.html * He defends his lack of knowledge by claiming the thread was too long to read. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00852.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00977.html * He accuses someone else of lying. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00870.html * He thoroughly misinterprets someone's argument. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01093.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00855.html * He uses "proof by assertion" to make his argument. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00872.html ("french judge") * He accuses others of arguing by assertion. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01283.html * He uses "proof by higher authority". http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00977.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00339.html * He rejects valid arguments against his position as off-topic. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01093.html * He introduces "evidence" utterly unrelated to the topic at hand. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01093.html * He bemoans how other participants in the thread are wasting his time. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00872.html * He complains that he wasn't notified of a discussion. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00977.html * He complains that he was notified notified of a discussion in a way he didn't like. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00424.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00942.html * He defers to unspecified specialist advice he has received, without giving the actual details of this advice. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00913.html * He defends his abuse of others with unspecified abuse by others in the past. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00930.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01305.html * He attempts to stifle opposition by publically refusing to engage in discussion with a person, and claiming to refuse to recognise any decision made with the input of that person. (Take two drinks if it's you he's trying to get rid of). http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01125.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01110.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01122.html * He states that previous (unspecified) claims he made were not answered. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00855.html * He accuses people of not reading points of view they don't agree with. (One extra drink if he combines this and the previous point in the same message) http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01283.html * He says he doesn't want to discuss the matter any further, and then proceeds to continue discussion. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00424.html * He attempts to halt discussion by jumping around different threads, making the conversation disjoint and hard to follow. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg00996.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01295.html http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01283.html * The word consensus is used in very variable ways, depending on the circumstance. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01293.html * The lurkers support him in e-mail. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/07/msg01295.html After enough time spent playing this game, his arguments may start to make sense. Sometime before that, however, you will probably be in the hospital getting your stomach pumped. [suggestions welcomed on further additions to this list] - Matt
