Re: The future of Debian install??
On Fri, Mar 08, 2002 at 11:12:53AM -0600, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> >>"Francisco" == Francisco M Marzoa Alonso <fmmarzoa@gmx.net> writes:
>
> Francisco> An elitist... well, if you can configure X from scratch
> Francisco> faster than the computer itself, then you should think
> Francisco> about go to the Guinness show. Computers are done to make
> Francisco> our lifes easy and to let us avoid repetitive tasks. I'm
> Francisco> not psychologist, but I think making repetitive things
> Francisco> faster is not a manner of evaluate inteligence (or is
> Francisco> it?). A monkey can do that kind of things faster than an
> Francisco> human if it is trained.
>
> This is getting seriously off topic, but this is somewhat of a
> hot button with me. You are touching on the tools vs appliance
> dichotomy here.
>
> A refrigerator is an appliance. I can walk to a refrigerator
> in Hong Kong, and I know how it works: open door, put <object> in,
> <object>'s temperature drops. Sure, there are minor variations (auto
> defrost or not), but by and large, appliance don't require training
> and manuals.
>
> A tool is something else. Take an Axe. Please note that
> complexity is not an issue: an axe is far simpler than a
> refrigerator. But as anyone trying to split firewood know, using an
> axe requires training. An Axe is dangerous: hit the chunk of wood
> wrong, and it can rebound off and take off your foot. It is, however,
> more flexible and can do more things than the appliance (toaster,
> refrigerator) -- chop trees, tear through doors and walls in rescues,
> chop wood to kindling, Executioners axes, war axes, throwing axes --
> lots of variations for the tasks.
>
> Microsoft has made money trying to convince people a general
> purpose computer, one of the most versatile tools invented by man, is
> really a mere appliance, and needs no training to use well.
>
> I beg to differ. A computer is a marvelous, versatile,
> flexible, configurable tool, and, I prefer to actually learn how
> to use ones tools.
You can fiddle with your house, your garden, your car, your
computer, maybe even your refrigerator and your toaster, to
learn how they work and to configure them to your taste, but
most people don't have time for all of them. People using
Debian are probably more interested in the computer than the
other things (I certainly am) and it seems to me pointless
for Debian to try to cater for other types.
>
> I probably shall be flamed for this.
>
> manoj
> who shudders at visions of hammering nails with a chain saw
> --
> A salamander scurries into flame to be destroyed. Imaginary creatures
> are trapped in birth on celluloid. Genesis, "The Lamb Lies Down on
> Broadway" I don't know what it's about. I'm just the drummer. Ask
> Peter. Phil Collins in 1975, when asked about the message behind the
> previous year's Genesis release, "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway".
> Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/>
> 1024R/C7261095 print CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05 CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
> 1024D/BF24424C print 4966 F272 D093 B493 410B 924B 21BA DABB BF24 424C
>
>
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