Re: Dangerous precedent being set - possible serious violation of the GPL
On Thu, Dec 09, 1999 at 10:20:05PM +1100, Craig Sanders wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 06, 1999 at 01:56:31AM -0500, Caspian wrote:
>
> > I'd just like to add my two cents (they're rather big...perhaps
> > they're two dollars?) to this little discussion.
>
> > [342 line rant deleted]
>
> i think you exaggerate just a little :)
hehe :)
> some points that need to be made in response (in random order, as i
> thought of them):
>
> 1a. free software survived - flourished, even - long before your Joe
> WinIdiot even noticed that it existed. there is no reason at all that it
> will not continue to do so.
>
> 1b. Joe WinIdiot is irrelevant to the success of free software because
> Joe Winidiot will *never* contribute a single line of code to any free
> software project. success for free software depends on developers, not
> users.
I always hoped some of this Windiots will contribute translations at least.
> 1c. free software is getting better every day. more programs, better
> programs. things that nobody would have even considered doing as a free
> software project a few years ago are now being done. we've got the
> operating system, and the tools...now the apps.
[ snip all the True(tm) you said ]
> 7. error messages are primarily for the programmer, not the user.
> their main purpose is to provide enough diagnostic information so the
> programmer can figure out what/where the bug is.
This ext2 error messages which went to my console sometimes are
not for programers. They are for notifying me I should go single-user
and run `fsck -f'. But this can be really said better.
> 8. we *have* good GUIs.
>
> the fact that they may not be the same kind of GUI that your Joe
> Winidiot might choose to use is irrelevant. our needs are different to
> Mr JW. Hell, our needs are different from each others which is why we
> have dozens of window managers and several GUIs to choose from.
If you name GUI xwm, then yes.
If you name GUI the whole desktop, then no.
> 9. we don't need visual C++ or anything like it. we really don't want
> the illiterate barbarian hordes of windows programmers filling the free
> software archives with incomprehensible cargo-cult programming crap.
> if someone can't program without such tools then they have no business
> calling themselves a programmer and they should start studying for a
> more appropriate career (practicing "would you like fries with that,
> sir?" would be about right)
I think perl/Gtk is much easier than VC++ for newbie, who want to start
programming. And this is very enough for little tools.
[ snip all the True(tm) you said ]
> 13. yes, i am an arrogant elitist bastard. i don't care.
me too
> 14. the Joe Winidiots of this world may not be capable of installing or
> running Linux by themselves, but they aren't capable of installing or
> running Windows or MS Word either. this is why most companies spend a
> fortune on technical support staff, help-desks, and support contracts.
>
> 15. most of those support staff are barely more computer-literate
> than the people they are helping...but it's damn easy to sound like
> an "expert" when your boss isn't capable of understanding what you're
> talking about either.
Someday we will have to make moron-installable distro.
> 16. if you see a need then start coding. don't waste everyone's time by
> telling us what we *should* be doing.
See all of pico/pine cloning discussion. They talk half a week, and probably
didnt make a line of code. If clone wont be at least semi-ready until early
February (winter holidays here) Im going to do it myself.
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