Ever since Steve McIntyre nudged the Goddard Institute for Space Studies to correct its error in the "adjusted" data many of the AGW folks (global warming is man made) have been saying that this is a minor correction. [in the comments]
Without "the hottest year on record was 1998" the climate looks more naturally variable.
Scientifically this is minor correction.
Propaganda wise it is a big thing.
It has also alerted people to the idea that data and methods must be open in science.
