What are appropriate steps to take when the corresponding author of a paper one finds very interesting, and potentially very useful, but slightly puzzling (due to the enforced brevity of the publication format) in its nuts and bolts implementation doesn't correspond? (I do not mean, 'Does not provide instant and copiously detailed answers,' I mean, 'Complete radio silence.')
Clearly, one does not send e-mail after e-mail after e-mail. That is both rude and insane. (Expecting different results from the same action.)
Clearly, one does survey that author's other literature (including past theses or dissertations, often the best place to find more verbose treatments of early papers) to see if the nuts and bolts questions are resolved there; one also surveys the literature of the non-corresponding co-authors for the same reason. (In fact, one does this, in my opinion, before contacting anyone in the first place.)
Clearly one does verify that the e-mail is up to date, to the best of one's ability.
When these options fail, and one is still extremely interested in a working implementation of a tersely published technique, are there any other reasonable strategies to apply? Reasonable, as in, will not cause terrible reputation in the field.
