"The debate appeared to my biased eye to be a success from several vantage points. The introductory talks were both excellent. Trimble gave perhaps the most definitive analysis of the Curtis-Shapley `Great Debate' ever. Fishman gave an excellent review of GRB properties.
The debate itself I believe will be remembered historically. The debaters were both clear, informative and even entertaining. The openings were substantive, the replies aggressive but fair. The questions by Rees went at the heart of the controversy. The closing statements were challenging. Some memorable comments were made from the floor by (Fred) Lamb, Kouveliotou, Colgate, Desai, and Harrison. As might be expected, parties on both sides claim their side "won." Scientific debates, however, are ultimately resolved by future scientific evidence, and not straw polls. In some sense gamma-ray burst science won, as more attention has been called to this fascinating mystery."
- Robert Nemiroff
nemiroff@grossc.gsfc.nasa.gov