[GeoJawDguJin]

The truly elite (or at least, those who think of themselves as such) know that "effect," when used as a verb, is (sort of) a synonym for "cause."

[sokoloff]

It's clear from reading Carmack's sentence that he means affect (alter/disturb, in this case negatively so), not the verb form of effect/to cause. (Not that that justifies a grammar flame on HN, but it was at least an accurate flame.)