FoRK Classic: Strategy vs. Tactics.

I Find Karma (adam@cs.caltech.edu)
Sat, 21 Jun 97 10:47:51 PDT


I figured every now and then when I chance upon some old classic piece
of email in the days BF (before FoRK), I would post it just to bring
back the memories.

In this note, Rohit "explains" to me the difference between strategy and
tactics by using that bastion of definitional verisimilitude, the NeXT
webster program...

> From khare@xent.caltech.edu Mon Mar 6 22:41:10 1995
> To adam@cs.caltech.edu
> Subject: Re: What's the difference between strategy and tactics?
>
> Jeesus... At this age, and you're still asking?!?!
>
> strat.e.gy \-jeE\ pl -gies
> [Gk strateEgia generalship, fr. strateEgos]
> (1810)
> 1a (1): the science and art of employing the political, economic,
> psychological, and military forces of a nation or group of nations to
> afford the maximum support to adopted policies in peace or war
> (2): the science and art of military command exercised to meet the
> enemy in combat under advantageous conditions
> b: a variety of or instance of the use of strategy
> 2a: a careful plan or method: a clever stratagem
> b: the art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal
> 3: an adaptation or complex of adaptations (as of behavior,
> metabolism, or structure) that serves or appears to serve an important
> function in achieving evolutionary success aforaging strategies of
> insects
>
> tac.ti.cal \'tak-ti-kel\ adj
> (1570)
> 1: of or relating to combat tactics:
> as a: involving actions or means of less magnitude or at a shorter
> distance from a base of operations than those of strategy
> b of an air force: of, relating to, or designed for air attack in
> close support of friendly ground forces
> 2a: of or relating to tactics: as
> (1): of or relating to small-scale actions serving a larger purpose
> (2): made or carried out with only a limited or immediate end in view
> b: adroit in planning or maneuvering to accomplish a purpose
> P tac7ti7cal7ly \-k(e-)leE\ adv
>
> See definition 1a)
>
> Rohit

So the bottom line is, tactics are smaller scale than strategy.
I guess.

\me ducks when Rohit throws his shoe at me

----
adam@cs.caltech

The Hong Kong Prayer
--------------------
Our Brother
Who art in Beijing,
Xiao Ping be thy name.
United Kingdom gone,
Thy will be done, In Hong Kong
As it is in China.
Give us this day,
Our daily bet,
And forgive us
Our speculations,
As we forgive those
Who speculate against us.
Lead us not
Into Communism
But deliver us
For this is
The Sovereignty,
The Power of Authority
Forever and ever
Chow Mein.
-- the South China Morning Post business section circa June 96