Re: [BLACKBOX] Seasoned Linux.

From: [at]} <Fyodor>
Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2011 15:56:36 +0300

----boundary-LibPST-iamunique-258673572_-_-
Content-type: text/plain

> >> Douglas G. Danforth wrote:
> >> Wojtek Skulski wrote:
> >> >Be realistic. In a real world software which crashes is
> >> better than the one which runs reliably. Software engineers
> >> need to justify their salaries.
> >>
> >> It's always good to hear the cynical point of view.
>
> Wojtek, I give up! Are you generally cynical or just facetious?
> Either way, I always enjoy your posts; they cause many a chuckle.
>
> Regards
> Robert

I object to the accusations of Wojtek being cynical.
There are social (even primatological) laws at work here that are as inexorable as the energy conservation.
Wojtek is no more cynical than Charles Darwin.

All the unnecessary complexities, unreliabilities, etc. resulting from sloppy designs etc. are an obvious source of profit for "professionals".
Higher primates (dont call *me* cynical; I am only strictly scientific; just check the film on primates in the 5-DVD Life series by BBC) -- higher primates have never been slow to exploit any opportunity to grab a "banana". And invent a convincing justification for doing so (a truly anaprimatic feature).

We are talking here about an objective and systemic phenomenon.

Once suitable circumstances emerge, they will be exploited to the full irrespective of whether or not participants are fully aware of what they are doing. It is sufficient to believe that C is the coolest thing on Earth.

With IT, the circumstances have emerged on a historic scale.
Humanity is unprepared.
Competition does not work properly because of the speed of expansion of the IT sphere.

Realistic stories about protecting jobs similar to what Wojtek communicated, tend to be about individuals servicing shops, departments etc. (I've been paying attention to such anecdotes in forums for teaching purposes; there is plenty of evidence).

But look at the high energy physics who chose C++ to replace fortran.
(Did I mention that I received a letter from a CERN experimentalist who considers quitting his job because of the awful mess that resulted from that choice?)
Who pushed C++?
Those who believed themselves to be heros and geniuses for learning it (instead of physics or statistics or numerical math).
Which is a kind of psychological masquerade for self-interest.

Frankly, looking at the IT world from the outside and being strongly affected by it in my work, I am in no mood for chuckles whatsoever. It is rather depressing. A kind of a civilization-scale swindle with little to do about it.

Niklaus Wirth once said that he was at some point so utterly disappointed with the IT industry that he considered an early retirement (the last answer in this interview: http://www.inr.ac.ru/~info21/texts/2005-10-Expert/finalpdf).

cheers nevertheless,
fyodor

PS
I wrote a couple of relevant texts for my educational project, unfortunately, they are in Russian. Anyhow, here they are:
http://www.inr.ac.ru/~info21/princypKalashnikova.htm
http://www.inr.ac.ru/~info21/MIL/welcome.html

Powered by the E-mail PIM - Info Select - www.miclog.com

----
To unsubscribe, send a message with body "SIGNOFF BLACKBOX" to LISTSERV{([at]})nowhere.xy----boundary-LibPST-iamunique-258673572_-_-
Content-type: application/rtf
Content-transfer-encoding: base64
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="rtf-body.rtf"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----boundary-LibPST-iamunique-258673572_-_---

Received on Sat Jan 08 2011 - 13:56:36 UTC