Re: Definitions

[Michael W Zappe]

On Thu, Aug 10, 2000 at 10:50:16AM -0400, Alan Shutko wrote:
> Michael W Zappe <[e-mail]> writes:
> 
> > As a usability issue, though, it makes life VERY difficult on the sender
> > to edit, and manually reflow text.
> 
> I agree completely.  That's why I never do it.  I make my computer do
> it for me.  (Except for hitting M-q once in a while.)
> 
> There's nothing inherently wrong with plain-text, it's just that there
> are lots of really broken mailers out there.  Moving to HTML might fix
> that, but having seen how many broken web pages are out there, I don't
> think it would necessarily do any good.
> 
> > Unfortunately it also belys an attitude I've seen alot with Linux, 
> > which is "You need to change your workflow to conform with the
> > computers model."
> 
> More like "Conform to this standard, and it's your problem, not mine."
> There are ways to get most mailers to work this way.  Especially on
> Linux, where there used to be a history of working correctly.  But I
> doubt that the vocal people on Linux kernel are interested in helping
> someone fix their setup... I'm sure there's an attitude of "If you
> can't do this, you shouldn't be working with the kernel."
> 

I know kernel development well.  Just because I don't know some silly 
application, and haven't taken the time to learn it, that is VERY
orthogonal to being able to understand the algorithms in the kernel.
Just because someone doesn't know the random voodoo to make program
X do action Y, and the documentation is lacking, doesn't mean that 
I don't understand OS design, or general relativity.  I wouldn't ask
a biochemist to tell me how various page eviction routines impact the 
performace of the system, but I respect their intelligence anyway.  
Not knowing silly commands for a text editor is NOT a lack of 
intelligence, but that attitude seems to be popular within the 
community.  And it has probably done a good job of alienating some
really good programmers.  

So saying "If you can't do this, you shouldn't be working with the 
kernel" is a form of exclusivism/elitism, and I thought Linux was
about democratization, at least according to the propaganda.  Just
because all of the default editors on Linux have obscure commands
to do line wrap, doesn't mean that I don't know what I'm doing.  
Believing such is arrogant pretention, and a self ego-stroking/
intellectual masturbation in front of a mirror.

If I have a problem with the way someone's doing something, I tell them 
a possible fix.  I don't give them a smart ass answer.  (Unless I'm in
a really bad mood... ;-)

> > Thank you very much!  That's all I really needed...  I will try and fix
> > that now!
> 
> Incidently, there's also a way to make it do wrapping automatically,
> even when editing.  I don't use it so I can't help too much there, but
> you might try searching deja for refill.el or maniac.el.
> 

Thank you again.  This is the kind of helpfullness that would be more
appreciated on the list.  Thank you for serving as a good example! ;-)

> > And back to the original question...
> 
> Well, don't ask me!  I know nothing!
> 

Oh, that was more directed at the list.  ;-)  Problems with listservs, 
the recipient is ambigous!

> -- 
> Alan Shutko <[e-mail]> - In a variety of flavors!
> 93 days, 52 minutes, 26 seconds till we run away.
> Eschew obfuscation.
----------------------------------------------
Michael Zappe            <[e-mail]>

Chief Architect, Filesystems
Interlan Communications 
111 Corning Drive
Cary, NC 27511

"The sorcerer is a Simple Realist: the world 
is real--but then so must consciousness be real 
since its effects are so tangible. The dullard 
finds even wine tasteless but the sorcerer can be
intoxicated by the mere sight of water."
 
 --Hakim Bey